2000
#15,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,760
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.65
Rare Last name
Highley
Originates from habitation name meaning the person resided near the high clearing or meadow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,057 Americans carry the last name Highley. That puts it at #15,671 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 166,628 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Highley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Highley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 166,628
Census rank
#15,671
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,794 bearers of the surname Highley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15671st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Highley, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Highley
The surname Highley originates from England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "heah" meaning high and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest, referring to a high meadow or elevated clearing.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, where it appears as "de Hehlie" and "de Heighley" in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. These early spellings suggest that the name was likely associated with a specific place, potentially a small village or hamlet with a similar name.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire as "de Heghle," which further reinforces the connection to a place name. During this time period, the use of locational surnames became increasingly common, allowing people to be identified by their place of origin or residence.
The Highley family can be traced back to notable individuals throughout history. One such individual was John Highley, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire who lived in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties and was involved in local governance.
In the 16th century, Thomas Highley, born in 1534, was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and served as a Protestant minister in Worcestershire. He played a role in the religious and political turmoil of the era and was known for his vocal opposition to Catholic practices.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, the Highley name gained prominence with Captain Richard Highley, born in 1612, who fought for the Parliamentarian forces. He was commended for his bravery and leadership in several battles against the Royalists.
In the literary world, William Highley, born in 1709, was a notable poet and playwright from Gloucestershire. His works, though not widely recognized today, were celebrated during his lifetime and contributed to the cultural landscape of the early 18th century.
Another significant figure bearing the Highley surname was Elizabeth Highley, born in 1798, who was a pioneering advocate for women's education. She established one of the first schools for girls in the West Midlands region of England and played a pivotal role in promoting educational opportunities for women during a time when such efforts were rare.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Highley
Among Census respondents with the surname Highley, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Highley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Highley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.3% · 1,567
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 83
- Two or more races3.4% · 61
- Black or African American2.7% · 48
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Highley
Highley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#17,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,600
-160 bearers (-9.1%)
Per 100,000 0.54
Rank movement Down 2,245 places
2020
#15,671
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,794
+194 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Up 1,901 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,327 | 1,760 | 0.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,572 | 1,600 | 0.54 | -160 bearers (-9.1%) | Down 2,245 places |
| 2020 | #15,671 | 1,794 | 0.60 | +194 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 1,901 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Highley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,572 | #15,671 | 10.8% |
| Count | 1,600 | 1,794 | 12.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.54 | 0.60 | 11.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Highley bearers went from 1,600 to 1,794 (+12.1% change). The surname moved up 1,901 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,572 to #15,671.
FAQ
Highley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Highley?
Name Census estimates that about 2,057 living Americans carry the surname Highley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 166,628 residents.
How common is Highley?
Highley ranks #15,671 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,794 people with the surname Highley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,057), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Highley.
Has Highley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Highley went from 1,600 recorded bearers to 1,794. That is an increase of 194 (+12.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,572 to #15,671.
What does the Census say about the background of Highley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Highley, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Highley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (1,567 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Highley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.3%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Highley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Highley mean?
Originates from habitation name meaning the person resided near the high clearing or meadow. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Highley (0.60 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Highley?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.