Find out how popular the last name Burley is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Burley.

Burley, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Burley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burley in America

Burley is the 4149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burley surname appeared 8,542 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Burley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burley to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Burley

The surname Burley is of English origin, with records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "burh" meaning a fortified town or manor, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. The name likely originated as a place name, referring to someone who lived in or near a meadow or clearing by a fortified town or manor.

The earliest known record of the surname Burley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners and property holders in England. The entry mentions "Richard de Burleia" as a landholder in Wiltshire.

During the Middle Ages, variations in spelling were common, and the name appeared in various forms such as Burleigh, Burlee, and Burly. Some of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname include Sir John Burley (c. 1330 - 1416), a prominent English soldier and diplomat who served under King Richard II, and William Burley (c. 1275 - 1344), an English philosopher and logician known for his contributions to medieval scholastic thought.

In the 16th century, the surname Burley was associated with several notable figures, including Walter Burley (c. 1515 - 1585), an English Puritan clergyman and author. Another prominent individual was Sir John Burley (c. 1525 - 1587), an English soldier and courtier who served under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the surname gained prominence with individuals such as Thomas Burley (c. 1635 - 1701), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Warwickshire. During this period, the surname was also associated with several place names, including Burley in Hampshire and Burley in Rutland.

Moving into the 18th and 19th centuries, notable individuals with the surname Burley include William Burley (1770 - 1858), an English botanist and horticulturist, and Walter Burley Griffin (1876 - 1937), an American architect renowned for designing the city of Canberra, Australia's capital.

Throughout its history, the surname Burley has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, politicians, scholars, and artists, reflecting its enduring presence across the English-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burley

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Burley.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Burley was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Burley has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Burley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Burley, please contact us.

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