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

Copley, 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 Copley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Copley in America

Copley is the 5303rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Copley surname appeared 6,568 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 Copley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Copley 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 Copley

The surname Copley has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "copp" and "leah," meaning a small hill and a clearing or meadow, respectively. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who resided near a hillock or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Copley name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a place called "Coppelay" in Yorkshire, which is likely the origin of the surname.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Copley surname. One of the earliest was Sir Thomas Copley (c. 1485-1584), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was also a staunch Catholic and was briefly imprisoned for his religious beliefs.

Another prominent figure was John Singleton Copley (1738-1815), an American-born painter who gained fame for his portraits and historical paintings. He is considered one of the greatest painters of the colonial era and is credited with introducing the grand manner style of portraiture to America.

In the realm of science, Sir Godfrey Copley (1653-1709) was an English businessman and philanthropist who endowed the Copley Medal, which is still awarded annually by the Royal Society for outstanding achievements in research. The first recipient of this prestigious award was Samuel Pepys in 1737.

The Copley name has also been associated with several notable places. Copley Square in Boston, Massachusetts, is named after John Singleton Copley, and Copley Hall at the University of Cambridge is named after Sir Thomas Copley, who was a benefactor of the college.

Another individual worth mentioning is Sir Ralph Copley (c. 1470-1513), a renowned English soldier and courtier during the Tudor period. He served as a privy councillor to King Henry VII and played a crucial role in suppressing the rebellions against the king's rule.

While the Copley surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, among others. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and its connection to a specific geographical location in Yorkshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Copley

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

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

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

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