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

Eckersley, 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 Eckersley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Eckersley in America

Eckersley is the 47186th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Eckersley surname appeared 450 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 Eckersley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Eckersley 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 Eckersley

The surname Eckersley is of English origin, hailing from the county of Lancashire in the north-west of England. It is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from a combination of the Old English words "ec," meaning oak, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing, with the suffix "-ley" being a common place-name ending. Thus, Eckersley likely referred to a meadow or settlement near an oak tree or oak grove.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Eckersley can be found in the Whalley Abbey Coucher Book, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This record documents the transfer of land in the township of Eccleshill, near Blackburn, to a family with the surname Eckersley. The spelling at the time was "Eckerslegh," reflecting the name's evolution over time.

In the centuries that followed, the Eckersley name appeared in various historical records, such as parish registers, tax rolls, and land deeds. One notable example is the mention of a William Eckersley in the Whalley Parish Registers in 1594, indicating the family's long-standing presence in the region.

Several individuals with the surname Eckersley have made their mark throughout history. One such figure was Peter Eckersley (1805-1880), a prominent English industrialist and inventor who patented several improvements to textile machinery. Another was Thomas Eckersley (1847-1914), a renowned English architect responsible for designing numerous public buildings, including the Royal College of Music in London.

In the realm of literature, the name Eckersley is associated with Arthur Eckersley (1917-1990), an English poet and writer known for his works exploring themes of nature and the countryside. His poetry collection, "The Voices of the Land," published in 1959, garnered critical acclaim.

The world of sports has also seen its fair share of notable Eckersleys. One example is David Eckersley (born 1954), an English former professional footballer who played for various clubs, including Manchester United and Aston Villa, during the 1970s and 1980s.

Additionally, the name Eckersley has been linked to various place names throughout Lancashire and neighboring counties. For instance, the village of Eccleshill near Blackburn, mentioned earlier, is believed to have derived its name from a similar linguistic root as the surname Eckersley, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Eckersley

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

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

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

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