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

Delley, 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 Delley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Delley in America

Delley is the 136449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Delley surname appeared 123 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 Delley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Delley 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 Delley

The surname DELLEY is believed to have originated in Switzerland, specifically in the municipality of Delley in the canton of Fribourg. The name is derived from the Old French word "deillie," which means "small wood" or "thicket." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or in a small wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DELLEY can be found in the "Cartulaire de Haut-Cret," a medieval cartulary (a collection of charters and deeds) dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions a person named Petrus de Deillie, who was likely from the village of Delley or a nearby area.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Deillie," "Deyllie," and "Dayllie," reflecting the phonetic variations common in medieval times. The earliest known bearer of the name was Johanna de Deillie, who was mentioned in a document from the year 1328.

The DELLEY surname is also linked to the noble family of Delley, which held significant power and influence in the region of Fribourg during the Middle Ages. One notable member of this family was Jean de Delley (1410-1482), a Swiss nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the Burgundian Wars.

Another prominent figure associated with the DELLEY surname was François-Joseph Delley (1728-1797), a Swiss Catholic priest and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Fribourg and wrote several influential works on theology and philosophy.

In the 16th century, the name DELLEY was found in various parts of Switzerland, particularly in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, and Neuchâtel. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Pierre Delley (1535-1607), a Swiss Protestant reformer and pastor who played a significant role in the establishment of the Reformed Church in the region.

Throughout history, the DELLEY surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Delley-Portalban, a municipality in the canton of Fribourg, and Delley Island, a small island located in Lake Neuchâtel.

While the name DELLEY is not as common today as some other Swiss surnames, it has left a lasting impact on the history and culture of Switzerland, with several notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Delley

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

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

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

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