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

Cauley, 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 Cauley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cauley in America

Cauley is the 7413th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cauley surname appeared 4,491 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Cauley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cauley 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 Cauley

The surname Cauley originated in Ireland and is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name Ó Cathail. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "cathail," which means "warrior." The earliest records of this surname date back to the 12th century in County Mayo, Ireland.

The Cauley name was prominent in County Mayo during the medieval period, and several individuals bearing this surname were mentioned in historical records from that time. For instance, Seán Ó Cathail, a chieftain of the Ó Cathail clan, was recorded as having participated in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.

In the 16th century, the Cauley surname was also found in County Sligo, where it was anglicized to its current spelling. The earliest known record of this spelling is from 1594, when a John Cauley was listed in the Fiants of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

One notable individual with the Cauley surname was Dermot Cauley, a renowned Irish harper who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was known for his skill in playing the traditional Irish harp and is believed to have been a member of the Cauley family from County Sligo.

Another historical figure with this surname was Edmond Cauley, a Catholic priest who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was an influential figure in the Irish Catholic community during the Penal Laws and is remembered for his efforts to preserve the Catholic faith in Ireland during a time of persecution.

In the 19th century, the Cauley surname was also found in County Donegal, where it was likely derived from the same Gaelic root. One notable individual from this region was Patrick Cauley, a teacher and Irish language scholar who lived in the mid-19th century. He was known for his work in promoting the study and preservation of the Irish language.

Other notable individuals with the Cauley surname include James Cauley, an Irish-American journalist and newspaper editor who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and William Cauley, an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cauley

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

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 Cauley 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 Cauley 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 Cauley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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