Hartley
From an English place name meaning "stag wood," or an occupational name for a deer herder.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 36,263 Americans carry the last name Hartley. That puts it at #1,124 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.58 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,452 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hartley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
36K
1 in 9,452
Census rank
#1,124
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
31K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 31,221 bearers of the surname Hartley in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.58 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1124th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hartley, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hartley
The surname Hartley originated in England and is believed to have derived from the Old English words "heorot" meaning a stag or male deer, and "leah" meaning a meadow or woodland clearing. This suggests that the name originally referred to a person who lived near a deer meadow or forest clearing.
Hartley is an English locational surname, indicating that it was initially taken from the place name of various towns and villages in England, primarily in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire. These place names were often derived from the same Old English roots as the surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hartley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Henricus de Hertleia in Yorkshire. This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Herteley, Hertelay, and Hartlay, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time period.
Notable individuals with the surname Hartley throughout history include:
1. David Hartley (1705-1757), an English philosopher and founder of the associationist school of psychology.
2. Jonathan Scott Hartley (1845-1912), an English-born American inventor and engineer, best known for patenting the first successful glass-blowing machine.
3. Leslie Poles Hartley (1895-1972), an English novelist and critic, whose works include "The Go-Between" and "The Hireling."
4. Dorothy Hartley (1893-1985), an English writer and social historian, known for her works on traditional English country life and customs.
5. Marsden Hartley (1877-1943), an American Modernist painter and leading figure in the early 20th century avant-garde movement.
The surname Hartley is also associated with various place names in England, such as Hartley Wintney in Hampshire, Hartley in Kent, and Great Hartley in Northumberland, among others. These place names likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in different regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hartley
Among Census respondents with the surname Hartley, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Hartley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Hartley surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.9%
- Black or African American6.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- Two or more races1.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hartley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,124 | #1,124 | 0.0% |
| Count | 31,221 | 31,221 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 10.58 | 10.58 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Hartley bearers went from 31,221 to 31,221 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #1,124 to #1,124.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hartley
FAQ
Hartley surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hartley?
The surname Hartley holds position #1,124 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 36,263 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 10.58 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hartley surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hartley, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (2.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.