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

Hayles, 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 Hayles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hayles in America

Hayles is the 18614th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hayles surname appeared 1,479 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 Hayles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hayles 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 Hayles

The surname HAYLES is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. Its earliest form was likely "de Hales" or "de Hayles," derived from the Old English words "hæl" meaning "nook" or "remote valley," and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have originated as a locational reference to someone who lived in a remote meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Hales" in reference to landowners in various counties of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. The spelling variations at the time included "de Hales," "de Haylis," and "de Hayles."

In the 13th century, the surname can be found in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "de Hayles" in Norfolk and Suffolk. During this period, the name also appeared in its modern spelling of "Hayles" in some instances.

A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Hayles, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. He was born around 1320 and served as a member of the King's Council during the reign of Edward III.

Another notable figure was William Hayles, a 15th-century English cleric and scholar who served as the Dean of York Minster from 1472 to 1494. He was born in the early 1400s and played a significant role in the administration of the Minster during his tenure.

In the 16th century, the name can be found in various records, including the Parish Registers of Gloucestershire, where it appears as "Hayles" and "Haylis." One notable individual from this period was John Hayles, a merchant and alderman of the City of London, who lived from around 1530 to 1592.

During the 17th century, the surname continued to be widespread in England, with bearers found in various counties. One notable figure was Sir Thomas Hayles, a parliamentarian and supporter of Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War. He was born in 1610 and served as a member of the Council of State during the Commonwealth period.

In the 18th century, the name can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and court records. One notable bearer was Richard Hayles, an English author and playwright who lived from 1725 to 1798 and wrote several plays and novels during his lifetime.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hayles

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

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

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

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