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

Croley, 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 Croley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Croley in America

Croley is the 14787th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Croley surname appeared 2,007 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 Croley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Croley 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 Croley

The surname Croley is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the region of Yorkshire, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "crog," which means "bent" or "crooked," possibly referring to someone who lived near a crooked or winding stream or path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Croggelei," which is likely an early spelling variation of Croley.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Crogeleye, who was a landowner in Yorkshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

Another notable early bearer of the name was John Croley, a merchant and alderman in the city of York during the late 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the city's government and trade circles.

During the 16th century, the name Croley began to spread beyond Yorkshire to other parts of England. One person of significance was William Croley (c. 1520-1585), a clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Durham Cathedral.

In the 17th century, the surname Croley was found in various parts of England, including London, where a Thomas Croley (1632-1710) was a successful merchant and landowner.

As the name spread and evolved, other spelling variations emerged, such as Crowley, Crooley, and Crolie. One notable bearer of the Crowley variant was Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), an influential and controversial English occultist, writer, and ceremonial magician.

Throughout its history, the surname Croley has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, clergymen, and scholars, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who carried the name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Croley

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

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

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

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