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

Hedley, 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 Hedley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hedley in America

Hedley is the 28746th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hedley surname appeared 828 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 Hedley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hedley 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 Hedley

The surname Hedley originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hēadum" meaning "heath" and "lēah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow". This suggests that the name was likely initially given to someone who lived near a heathland clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Hedley surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Heduenleia". This entry refers to a location in Northumberland, which was likely the area where the name first emerged.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Hedley surname appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, often with slight variations in spelling such as Hedeley, Hedleigh, and Hedlie. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation during that time period.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named William de Hedley was recorded as holding lands in Northumberland. Another early bearer of the name was John Hedley, who was born in 1585 and served as a member of the English Parliament in the early 17th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Hedley surname spread beyond its original Northumberland roots, with branches of the family establishing themselves in other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire.

One of the most famous individuals with the Hedley surname was Sir Charles Wycliffe Hedley (1848-1926), a renowned British naturalist and conchologist. He made significant contributions to the study of mollusks and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1892.

Another notable figure was John Hedley (1751-1824), an English coal owner and entrepreneur who played a key role in the development of the coal industry in Northumberland and Durham.

In the literary world, John Hedley (1920-1997) was a respected English poet and writer, best known for his collections of poetry and his work as a librarian at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The Hedley surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Hedley Hill in County Durham and Hedley Wood in Northumberland, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hedley

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

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

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

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