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

Culley, 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 Culley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Culley in America

Culley is the 9241st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Culley surname appeared 3,522 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 Culley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Culley 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 Culley

The surname Culley is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words 'cul' or 'coll', meaning 'charcoal burner' or 'coal miner', and the suffix '-ey', indicating a place name. This suggests that the surname may have been derived from a place where charcoal burning or coal mining was a prevalent industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Culley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Colley'. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation in England at the time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname was commonly spelled as 'Colly' or 'Collie', reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation. These variations likely stemmed from the name's association with various place names, such as Colley in Worcestershire or Colley Gate in Lancashire.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Culley throughout history include Sir John Culley (1733-1785), a renowned agriculturist and improver of livestock breeds in Northumberland. His pioneering work on selective breeding and animal husbandry made significant contributions to the development of modern farming practices.

Another prominent figure was Robert Culley (1737-1810), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Sedgefield in County Durham. He published several works on theology and natural history, including a treatise on the flora and fauna of the Northumbrian coast.

In the realm of literature, Jonathon Culley (1785-1862) was a noted English poet and writer from Newcastle upon Tyne. His poetic works, often inspired by the landscapes of Northumberland and Durham, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Thomas Culley (1741-1818), a brother of Sir John Culley, was a renowned farmer and livestock breeder who significantly influenced the development of the Shorthorn cattle breed in England.

Additionally, Richard Culley (1875-1946) was a notable English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Culley

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

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

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

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