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

Corley, 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 Corley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Corley in America

Corley is the 2012th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Corley surname appeared 17,931 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Corley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Corley 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 Corley

The surname Corley has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Corley, which is located in the county of Warwickshire. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "cor" meaning a bend or curve, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a Robert de Corleye is mentioned. The name also appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Warwickshire from 1221, with a reference to a Hugo de Corleye.

In the 13th century, the name was spelled in various ways, including Corleye, Corlie, and Corleigh, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain an entry for a Richard de Corley in Warwickshire.

A notable figure in history with the surname Corley was Sir John Corley (c. 1530–1592), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in the latter half of the 16th century.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Francis Corley (c. 1610–1670) fought on the Parliamentarian side and is mentioned in several dispatches and records from the conflict.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure was the Reverend Samuel Corley (1717–1801), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick.

In the 19th century, Elizabeth Corley (1823–1892) gained recognition as an English painter and watercolorist, known for her landscapes and still-life works.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Herbert Corley (1875–1945), a British military officer who served in the Boer War and World War I, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant-General.

Over the centuries, the surname Corley has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Corley Ash, Corley Rocks, and Corley Moor, all located in the vicinity of the original village of Corley in Warwickshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Corley

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

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

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

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