2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Himley
A locational surname referring to someone from the town of Himley in Staffordshire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Himley. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Himley 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.
Bearers in the US
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Himley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Himley, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Himley
The surname Himley is of English origin, derived from the place name Himley, a village in Staffordshire, England. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hīm" meaning "homestead" and "lēah" meaning "woodland clearing."
This surname first appeared in historical records during the 12th century, indicating its early establishment in the region. One of the earliest documented instances is found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1166, where a person named Richard de Himley is mentioned.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, the village of Himley is recorded under the name "Himilei," further supporting the linguistic roots of the surname. This valuable historical document provides insights into the settlement's existence during the Norman conquest of England.
The Himley family was known to have connections to the local gentry, as evidenced by the records of Sir John Himley, who served as a Knight of the Shire for Staffordshire in the Parliament of 1395. Another notable figure was William Himley, born in 1542, who held the position of Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1584.
During the 16th century, the surname experienced variations in spelling, such as "Himiley," "Himelay," and "Hymley," reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography. This diversity in spelling can be observed in historical documents from that era.
Among the prominent individuals bearing this surname was Sir Robert Himley, born in 1618, who was knighted for his military service during the English Civil War. He played a significant role in the defense of Stafford Castle against the Parliamentarian forces.
Another noteworthy figure was Elizabeth Himley, born in 1712, who gained recognition as a renowned author and poet in her time. Her literary works contributed to the cultural landscape of 18th-century England.
In the 19th century, the Himley family continued to make their mark, with James Himley (1825-1901) being a respected industrialist and philanthropist, known for his significant contributions to the development of the local community.
The surname Himley has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside, with its origins dating back to the medieval period. While its geographical presence was primarily concentrated in Staffordshire, the name has been carried by notable individuals who have left their mark across various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Himley
Among Census respondents with the surname Himley, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Himley 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 Himley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.1% · 99
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Himley
Himley 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,463 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-12 bearers (-10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 9,535 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 5,463 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.5%) | Down 9,535 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 Himley 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 | #145,220 | #154,755 | -6.6% |
| Count | 114 | 102 | -10.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Himley bearers went from 114 to 102 (-10.5% change). The surname moved down 9,535 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #154,755.
FAQ
Himley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Himley?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Himley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Himley?
Himley ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 102 people with the surname Himley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Himley.
Has Himley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Himley went from 114 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Himley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Himley, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Himley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.1% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Himley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.1%), Black (1.0%), Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Himley (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 Himley mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from the town of Himley in Staffordshire, England. 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 Himley (0.03 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 Himley?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.