Heatley
A surname derived from a place name in England containing the Old English word "hēath" meaning a heathland or area of uncultivated land.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,508 Americans carry the last name Heatley. That puts it at #20,274 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 227,291 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Heatley 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
1.5K
1 in 227,291
Census rank
#20,274
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,312 bearers of the surname Heatley in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 20274th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Heatley, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.0%. The next largest groups are Black (22.6%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Heatley
The surname Heatley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hēath" meaning "heather" and "lēah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." It is a locational surname, indicating that the original bearers of the name lived near a heather-covered meadow or clearing.
Heatley is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Hethelegh" and "Hetelea," referring to places in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, respectively. This suggests that the name was already in use before the Norman Conquest of 1066.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname itself is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a William de Hetheley. In the same century, the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire (1272) mention a William de Heteleg.
The name has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Heatley, Heatly, Hetley, and Hetly. These variations can be found in historical records from different regions of England.
Notable individuals with the surname Heatley include:
1. John Heatley (c. 1590-1670), an English clergyman and religious writer.
2. George Heatley (1768-1828), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of the Lake District.
3. Thomas Heatley (1835-1912), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada.
4. Samuel Heatley (1849-1929), a New Zealand politician and businessman who served as Mayor of Invercargill.
5. Cyril Heatley (1888-1965), a British Army officer who served in World War I and World War II, and was awarded the Military Cross.
The name Heatley has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Heatley in Northumberland, Heatley Green in Cheshire, and Heatley Lane in Lancashire, further reinforcing its locational origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Heatley
Among Census respondents with the surname Heatley, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.0%. The next largest groups are Black (22.6%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Heatley 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 Heatley surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.0%
- Black or African American22.6%
- Hispanic or Latino2.8%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Heatley 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 | #20,274 | #20,274 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,312 | 1,312 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Heatley bearers went from 1,312 to 1,312 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #20,274 to #20,274.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Heatley
FAQ
Heatley surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Heatley?
The surname Heatley holds position #20,274 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,508 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.44 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Heatley surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Heatley, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.0%. The next largest groups are Black (22.6%) and Hispanic (2.8%). 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.