2000
#6,664
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,675
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.73
Rare Last name
Eley
An English toponymic surname derived from any of the various places named Eley, likely meaning "eel island."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,173 Americans carry the last name Eley. That puts it at #7,135 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,258 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Eley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Eley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.2K
1 in 66,258
Census rank
#7,135
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,511 bearers of the surname Eley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7135th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Eley, the largest self-reported group is White at 47.7%. The next largest groups are Black (45.6%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Eley
The surname Eley originates from England and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English words "el" meaning "eel" and "ey" meaning "island" or "river meadow." This suggests that the name likely originated in areas where eels were abundant, such as marshlands or near bodies of water.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Eleie" and "Eleye." This important historical record provides evidence of the name's existence during the Norman Conquest of England.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Elegh," "Eleye," and "Eley," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable example is John de Eley, a landowner mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1285.
During the 14th century, the Eley family established roots in Norfolk, England, where several members were recorded in local records and tax rolls. For instance, William Eley was noted as a resident of Norwich in 1379.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Eley, a prominent English knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born around 1320 and participated in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.
In the 16th century, the Eley family gained prominence in the county of Buckinghamshire. Thomas Eley, born in 1522, was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on religious matters.
Another notable figure was Sir Ralph Eley, born in 1573, who served as a member of Parliament and played a significant role in the English Civil War, supporting the Parliamentarian cause against King Charles I.
During the 17th century, the Eley name spread to various parts of England, with families settling in Lincolnshire, Warwickshire, and Somerset. One noteworthy individual was Sir William Eley, born in 1637, who was a successful merchant and philanthropist in London.
The 18th century saw the rise of William Eley, born in 1766, a renowned English manufacturer and inventor. He established the Eley Cartridge Company, which produced innovative ammunition and firearms components, contributing significantly to the development of modern weaponry.
Throughout history, the Eley surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, scholars, military figures, and industrialists. While the name's origins can be traced to specific regions in England, it has since spread globally, with bearers of the Eley name found in numerous countries around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Eley
Among Census respondents with the surname Eley, the largest self-reported group is White at 47.7%. The next largest groups are Black (45.6%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Eley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Eley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White47.7% · 2,152
- Black or African American45.6% · 2,057
- Two or more races4.1% · 184
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 89
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Eley
Eley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,921
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,848
+173 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 1.64
Rank movement Down 257 places
2020
#7,135
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,511
-337 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 1.51
Rank movement Down 214 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,664 | 4,675 | 1.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,921 | 4,848 | 1.64 | +173 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 257 places |
| 2020 | #7,135 | 4,511 | 1.51 | -337 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 214 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Eley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,921 | #7,135 | -3.1% |
| Count | 4,848 | 4,511 | -7.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.64 | 1.51 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Eley bearers went from 4,848 to 4,511 (-7.0% change). The surname moved down 214 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,921 to #7,135.
FAQ
Eley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Eley?
Name Census estimates that about 5,173 living Americans carry the surname Eley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,258 residents.
How common is Eley?
Eley ranks #7,135 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.51 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,511 people with the surname Eley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,173), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.51 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.51 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Eley.
Has Eley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Eley went from 4,848 recorded bearers to 4,511. That is a decrease of 337 (-7.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,921 to #7,135.
What does the Census say about the background of Eley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Eley, the largest self-reported group is White at 47.7%. The next largest groups are Black (45.6%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Eley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 47.7% (2,152 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Eley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (47.7%), Black (45.6%), Two or More Races (4.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Eley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Eley mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from any of the various places named Eley, likely meaning "eel island." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Eley (1.51 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Eley?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Eley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.