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

Epley, 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 Epley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Epley in America

Epley is the 8925th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Epley surname appeared 3,667 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 Epley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Epley 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 Epley

The surname Epley has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "epp" meaning a hill, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a meadow on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Epley can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals residing in various counties of England. The name was spelled as "Eppelegh" in these records, indicating its evolution from the original Old English roots.

During the medieval period, the Epley name appeared in various manorial records and legal documents across England. For instance, a Robert Epley was listed as a landowner in the village of Epworth, Lincolnshire, in the late 14th century.

As the name spread across different regions of England, it underwent several spelling variations, including Epley, Eppelee, Eppley, and Eppelie. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of individual scribes who recorded the name.

One notable figure bearing the Epley surname was Sir John Epley, a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 16th century. Born in 1521, he served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1572 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I for his contributions to the city's governance and trade.

Another prominent individual was William Epley, a noted clergyman and scholar who lived in the late 17th century. Born in 1642 in Nottinghamshire, he was educated at Cambridge University and later became the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire, where he served for over three decades until his death in 1712.

In the 18th century, the Epley name gained recognition through the work of Thomas Epley, a renowned architect and builder. Born in 1701 in Yorkshire, he was responsible for designing and constructing several notable buildings, including the grand manor house of Epley Hall in Lincolnshire, which still stands today as a testament to his architectural skills.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Elizabeth Epley, a pioneering educator and women's rights activist. Born in 1818 in Oxfordshire, she founded one of the first schools for girls in London and played a pivotal role in advocating for equal educational opportunities for women during the Victorian era.

Another significant figure was Charles Epley, a renowned naturalist and explorer who lived from 1832 to 1912. Born in Dorset, he embarked on numerous expeditions to remote regions of the world, documenting and studying various plant and animal species. His extensive collections and writings made significant contributions to the field of natural history during his lifetime.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Epley

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

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

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

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