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

Dawley, 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 Dawley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dawley in America

Dawley is the 12670th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dawley surname appeared 2,439 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 Dawley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dawley 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 Dawley

The surname Dawley originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English words "dæge" meaning "day" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." This suggests that the name likely referred to a particular meadow or area of land that was known for its connection to daily activities or labor.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Dawley can be found in various historical records from the 12th and 13th centuries. It appears in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1198, where a Robert de Dawley is mentioned. The name is also documented in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279, referring to a William de Dawley.

Dawley was initially a locational surname, indicating that the original bearers hailed from a place called Dawley. This place name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Dælei" in Shropshire. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Dawley.

One notable individual bearing the Dawley surname was Sir John Dawley, who lived during the 14th century. He was a prominent landowner and served as the Sheriff of Shropshire in 1381. Another historical figure was William Dawley, born around 1550, who was a celebrated English writer and poet in the Elizabethan era.

In the 16th century, the Dawley surname also appeared in various records related to the textile industry in the West Midlands region of England. This suggests that some members of the family were involved in wool trade or cloth manufacturing during this period.

The name Dawley has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Dawley Magna and Dawley Parva, both located in Shropshire. These place names further reinforce the locational origins of the surname.

Other notable individuals with the Dawley surname include Edward Dawley (1691-1768), a renowned English architect who designed several churches and buildings in London, and Thomas Dawley (1825-1892), a British author and historian who wrote extensively about the history of Shropshire.

Throughout its history, the surname Dawley has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, particularly in Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands area, where it has roots dating back to the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dawley

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

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

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

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