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

Corey, 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 Corey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Corey in America

Corey is the 2340th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Corey surname appeared 15,569 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Corey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Corey 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 Corey

The surname Corey has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "coree," meaning "settlement" or "small village." This name was likely given to someone who lived in or near a small hamlet or rural area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Corey appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Willelmus de Coreia, whose name suggests a connection to a place called Corey or a similar spelling.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Corey was prevalent in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Devon. Variations in spelling were common, including Cory, Corie, and Corye, reflecting the diverse dialects and writing conventions of the time.

One notable bearer of the Corey surname was Sir John Corey, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. Records indicate that he participated in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and the Siege of Calais in 1347.

Another significant individual with the Corey surname was William Corey (c. 1580-1670), an English colonist who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century. He was among the first settlers of the town of Roxbury and played a crucial role in the establishment of the community.

In the 18th century, the Corey surname gained prominence with the birth of Elijah Corey (1737-1808), an American farmer and soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He is renowned for his participation in the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.

The surname Corey also has connections to various place names in England, such as Cory Rivell in Somerset and Cory Farm in Devon. These locations may have influenced the development and geographical distribution of the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Corey surname, including Robert Corey (1738-1823), an American politician and judge who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, and Giles Corey (c. 1611-1692), a farmer from Salem, Massachusetts, who was pressed to death during the Salem Witch Trials for refusing to enter a plea.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Corey

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

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

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

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