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

Hailey, 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 Hailey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hailey in America

Hailey is the 4256th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hailey surname appeared 8,327 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Hailey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hailey 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 Hailey

The surname Hailey originated from the northern English region and has its roots in the Old English and Old Norse languages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hæg," meaning "hay," or the Old Norse word "heggr," meaning "hedge." Essentially, the name Hailey referred to someone who lived near a hayfield or a hedged enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hailey can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "de Hagheley" in reference to a location in Worcestershire, England. This suggests that the name was initially a place name before being adopted as a surname.

In the 13th century, the name Hailey appeared in various forms, such as "de Hailey," "de Hayley," and "de Haylege," reflecting the different spellings and pronunciations of the time. One notable example is William de Hailey, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202.

During the medieval period, the name Hailey was also associated with several place names, including Hailey in Oxfordshire, Hailey in Gloucestershire, and Haileybury in Hertfordshire. These locations likely contributed to the spread and popularization of the surname.

In the 16th century, the name Hailey gained recognition through individuals like John Hailey (1556-1610), an English lawyer and member of Parliament. Another notable figure was Thomas Hailey (1564-1634), a wealthy merchant and member of the Virginia Company, who played a significant role in the early colonization of Virginia.

The 17th century saw the emergence of notable Haileys, such as William Hailey (1597-1677), an English clergyman and author, and Edward Hailey (1630-1709), an English merchant and benefactor who helped establish the Haileybury School in Hertfordshire.

In the 18th century, the name Hailey continued to be prominent, with individuals like Edmond Hailey (1708-1784), a British writer and translator, and William Hailey (1744-1817), an English poet and playwright.

Throughout history, the surname Hailey has been carried by various individuals across different professions and backgrounds, reflecting its enduring presence in the English-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hailey

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

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

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

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