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

Hiley, 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 Hiley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hiley in America

Hiley is the 38754th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hiley surname appeared 570 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 Hiley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hiley 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 Hiley

The surname Hiley has its origins in England, with records tracing it back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hyll," meaning a hill or raised ground. The name was likely taken by someone who lived near a prominent hill or ridge.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John atte Hylle, recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. The use of the prefix "atte" suggests the name was originally a descriptive byname referring to someone living near a hill.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Hille, Hille, and Hylle, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that period. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention a William de la Hulle, while the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379 lists a John del Hyll.

The Hiley name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir Walter Hiley (c. 1360-1420), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament. Another was John Hiley (1614-1679), an English clergyman and author of several religious works.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition with the birth of Samuel Hiley (1765-1841), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. His son, Samuel Hiley (1789-1868), followed in his footsteps and became an admiral in the Royal Navy.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Hiley (1712-1782), an English painter and engraver known for his landscape and architectural works. His contemporary, Thomas Hiley (1718-1793), was a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Doncaster.

The name has also been associated with several places, such as Hiley Farm in Oxfordshire and Hiley Wood in Gloucestershire, both of which likely derive their names from early Hiley inhabitants or landowners.

Throughout its history, the Hiley surname has been spelled in various ways, including Hily, Hyley, and Heyley, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and pronunciation variations across England. While not as common today as other English surnames, the Hiley name has left a lasting mark on the historical records of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hiley

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

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

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

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