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

Ealey, 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 Ealey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ealey in America

Ealey is the 13597th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ealey surname appeared 2,229 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 Ealey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ealey 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 Ealey

The surname Ealey is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the region of Worcestershire, during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from the Old English words "ea," meaning river, and "leah," meaning a meadow or woodland clearing. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a river meadow or a clearing by a river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ealey can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where it appears as "Eley." This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that period, as they were often written phonetically by clerks.

In the 16th century, the Ealey name appears in various records, such as the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. These records include entries for individuals like John Ealey (born around 1550) and William Ealey (born around 1575).

The Ealey surname has also been linked to certain place names in Worcestershire, such as Eales Green and Eales Meadow, both of which may have influenced the development of the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Ealey surname. One such person was Richard Ealey (1604-1664), an English Puritan clergyman and author, known for his work "An Antidote Against Heresy." Another was John Ealey (1630-1697), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Worcestershire.

In the 18th century, the Ealey name spread beyond Worcestershire, with individuals like Samuel Ealey (1726-1799), a successful merchant and landowner in Cheshire. The 19th century saw the birth of Thomas Ealey (1828-1899), a well-known architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

During the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the Ealey surname was Kenneth Ealey (1910-1996), a British writer and journalist who covered World War II and authored several books on military history.

Overall, the surname Ealey has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages and a strong connection to the region of Worcestershire. Despite its localized beginnings, the name has since spread to various parts of England and beyond, leaving its mark on various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ealey

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

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

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

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