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

Gardley, 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 Gardley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gardley in America

Gardley is the 99378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gardley surname appeared 182 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 Gardley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gardley 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 Gardley

The surname Gardley originates from England, first appearing in records during the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "gard," meaning an enclosed yard or garden, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked in an enclosed garden or meadow.

One of the earliest known references to the name Gardley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed landowners and their holdings in various counties across England. The entry "Willelmus de Gardleye" is recorded in the county of Staffordshire, indicating that a person with this surname held land in that area during that time.

During the 14th century, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Gardeley, Gardleigh, and Gardleye, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and spelling conventions of the time. In the Pipe Rolls of 1332, a certain "Robertus de Gardeley" is mentioned as paying taxes in the county of Worcestershire.

In the 15th century, the Gardley surname can be traced to the village of Gardley, located in the parish of Bilston, Staffordshire. This place name likely contributed to the surname's establishment and further spread throughout the region. A notable figure from this period was John Gardley (c. 1420 - 1492), a landowner and minor nobleman in Staffordshire.

As the centuries progressed, the Gardley surname continued to be found in various historical records and documents, such as parish registers, court rolls, and tax records. One prominent individual was Sir William Gardley (1585 - 1649), a member of the landed gentry in Worcestershire and a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Gardley surname gained further recognition with the birth of Reverend Thomas Gardley (1720 - 1795), a respected clergyman and scholar who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire for over 40 years. His published works on theology and philosophy were widely read during his lifetime.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Gardley (1775 - 1842), a pioneer in the field of education for women. She founded one of the first schools for girls in London and advocated for the importance of providing quality education to females, which was a relatively progressive stance at the time.

As the world became more interconnected, the Gardley surname spread beyond England, with descendants settling in various parts of the British Empire and other regions. However, its roots and historical significance remain firmly tied to its English origins and the early bearers of this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gardley

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

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

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

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