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

Dantley, 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 Dantley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dantley in America

Dantley is the 129825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dantley surname appeared 131 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dantley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dantley 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 Dantley

The surname Dantley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down, and "ley" meaning a clearing or meadow. This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a meadow on a hill or downland.

One of the earliest known recordings of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Alice de Duntelega". This version provides insight into an older spelling variation close to the proposed Old English roots.

The Dantley surname seems to have strong ties to the county of Oxfordshire, with many early records concentrated in this region. For instance, the Rotuli Hundredorum from 1279 lists a "Robert de Dunteley" as residing in Oxfordshire during that time.

While not appearing in famous historical records like the Domesday Book, the name does have some notable bearers throughout history. One of the earliest was William Dantley, born around 1510 in Oxfordshire, who served as a magistrate in the nearby town of Banbury.

Moving forward, John Dantley (1590-1659) was a respected clergyman who held positions in several parishes across Oxfordshire during the 17th century. His son, also named John Dantley (1620-1688), followed in his footsteps as a minister in the Church of England.

Later, Edward Dantley (1701-1776) was a wealthy landowner from Oxfordshire who made significant contributions to the construction of local churches and schools in the area. His descendant, James Dantley (1825-1912), became a prominent businessman and philanthropist in London during the Victorian era.

While originating in England, the Dantley name did eventually spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond through emigration over the centuries. However, its roots and earliest known bearers trace back to the rural regions of Oxfordshire in medieval times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dantley

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

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

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

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