2000
#8,212
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,716
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.38
Rare Last name
Ensley
Derived from a place name meaning "Ēana's lēah," referring to a woodland clearing belonging to someone named Ēana.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,245 Americans carry the last name Ensley. That puts it at #8,531 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 80,743 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ensley 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.
Bearers in the US
4.2K
1 in 80,743
Census rank
#8,531
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,702 bearers of the surname Ensley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8531st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ensley, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ensley
The surname Ensley has its origins rooted in the English language, stemming from the Old English word "enedene," which translates to "valley of the ducks" or "duck valley." This name likely originated in an area where ducks were abundant, potentially near a river or lake.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ensley can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry lists a landowner named Aenselm de Enedene, indicating that variations of the name were already in use during this time period.
In the 13th century, the surname was often spelled as "Enedene" or "Ennedene," reflecting its roots in the Old English language. As time passed, the spelling evolved to the more modern form of "Ensley," which became prevalent by the 16th century.
The name Ensley has been associated with various locations throughout England, particularly in the counties of Staffordshire and Warwickshire. These areas were once home to individuals bearing this surname, as evidenced by historical records and place names that incorporated variations of the name.
One notable individual with the surname Ensley was Sir John Ensley, who lived in the 15th century and served as a prominent member of the English gentry. Another prominent figure was William Ensley, a 17th-century merchant and landowner from Staffordshire, who was known for his philanthropic work in the local community.
In the 19th century, the Ensley family played a significant role in the industrial revolution, with several members establishing successful businesses in the manufacturing sector. One such individual was Thomas Ensley, born in 1812, who founded the Ensley Iron Works in Birmingham, England, which became a major producer of iron and steel products.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Ensley, born in 1845, who was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several schools for girls in England and campaigned tirelessly for equal educational opportunities for women.
As the surname spread across the globe, it has been associated with various notable individuals throughout history, including authors, artists, and politicians. However, the origins of the name Ensley can be traced back to the Old English language and the areas of England where it first emerged.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ensley
Among Census respondents with the surname Ensley, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Ensley 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 Ensley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.7% · 2,767
- Black or African American15.1% · 558
- Two or more races5.5% · 202
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 109
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 44
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ensley
Ensley 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
#8,174
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,055
+339 bearers (+9.1%)
Per 100,000 1.37
Rank movement Up 38 places
2020
#8,531
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,702
-353 bearers (-8.7%)
Per 100,000 1.24
Rank movement Down 357 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,212 | 3,716 | 1.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,174 | 4,055 | 1.37 | +339 bearers (+9.1%) | Up 38 places |
| 2020 | #8,531 | 3,702 | 1.24 | -353 bearers (-8.7%) | Down 357 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 Ensley 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 | #8,174 | #8,531 | -4.4% |
| Count | 4,055 | 3,702 | -8.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.37 | 1.24 | -9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ensley bearers went from 4,055 to 3,702 (-8.7% change). The surname moved down 357 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,174 to #8,531.
FAQ
Ensley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ensley?
Name Census estimates that about 4,245 living Americans carry the surname Ensley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 80,743 residents.
How common is Ensley?
Ensley ranks #8,531 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,702 people with the surname Ensley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,245), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.24 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ensley.
Has Ensley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ensley went from 4,055 recorded bearers to 3,702. That is a decrease of 353 (-8.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,174 to #8,531.
What does the Census say about the background of Ensley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ensley, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (5.5%). 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 Ensley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.7% (2,767 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ensley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.7%), Black (15.1%), Two or More Races (5.5%). 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 Ensley (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 Ensley mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "Ēana's lēah," referring to a woodland clearing belonging to someone named Ēana. 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 Ensley (1.24 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 many people have the surname Ensley?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.