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

Charley, 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 Charley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Charley in America

Charley is the 7876th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Charley surname appeared 4,201 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Charley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Charley 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 Charley

The surname Charley originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Ceorl," which referred to a free peasant or common man. The name Ceorl was often used as a distinguishing name to identify individuals from a particular region or village.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the name Ceorl or its variations, such as Cherl, Cherle, and Charle. This suggests that the name was already well-established in various parts of the country by the late 11th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Charley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a man named Radulfus Charle is mentioned. This spelling variation indicates that the name had already evolved from its Old English roots.

During the Middle Ages, the name Charley was often associated with places or settlements where these individuals resided. For example, in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a village called "Charleye" in Buckinghamshire, which likely took its name from a local landholder or prominent resident with the surname Charley.

One notable historical figure with the surname Charley was Sir John Charley (c. 1350-1418), a member of the English gentry from Somerset. He served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in the early 15th century and was involved in local governance and administration.

Another individual of note was William Charley (c. 1475-1539), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire. He was a prominent figure in the wool trade and owned several properties in the region.

In the 16th century, the surname Charley appeared in various spelling variations, such as Charleigh, Charlay, and Charlie. One example is Thomas Charleigh (c. 1530-1592), a clergyman who served as the Dean of Lincoln Cathedral from 1579 until his death.

During the 17th century, the surname Charley gained prominence in London and the surrounding areas. One notable figure was Richard Charley (1617-1680), a successful merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers in the City of London.

In the 18th century, the name Charley was also found in other parts of England, such as the north and the Midlands. For instance, John Charley (1737-1813) was a prominent industrialist from Yorkshire who owned several textile mills and played a significant role in the region's industrial development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Charley

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

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

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

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