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

Fly, 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 Fly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fly in America

Fly is the 14042nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fly surname appeared 2,145 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 Fly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fly 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 Fly

The surname Fly is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word 'fleoge' which means 'fly' or 'insect'. It is believed to have originated as a nickname for someone who was considered quick or agile, much like the insect.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Fly can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Alwinus Fliga is listed as a landowner in Oxfordshire. This early spelling variation, 'Fliga', further supports the connection to the Old English word 'fleoge'.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert le Fly in Cambridgeshire, England, indicating the surname's establishment by that time. The use of the prefix 'le' was a common practice in medieval times, denoting the occupation or characteristic associated with the surname.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Flie, Flye, and Flyghe, reflecting the evolving spelling practices of the time. One notable individual from this period was John Fly, a member of the Mercers' Company in London, who was mentioned in records from 1349.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Fly spread across England and Scotland. In the 16th century, a family with the surname Fly resided in the village of Flycroft, located in the county of Somerset, England. This place name is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'fleoge' and 'croft', meaning 'insect' and 'small enclosed field' respectively.

Notable individuals with the surname Fly include Thomas Fly (1598-1672), an English author and clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds. Another prominent figure was James Fly (1684-1744), a renowned English composer and organist who served as the organist at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

In Scotland, the surname Fly is found in records from the 17th century onwards. One notable Scottish individual was Alexander Fly (1712-1787), a merchant and shipowner from Leith, who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade.

As the name spread throughout the centuries, it also found its way to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, carried by immigrant families seeking new opportunities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fly

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

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

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

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