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

Holsey, 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 Holsey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Holsey in America

Holsey is the 15363rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Holsey surname appeared 1,909 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Holsey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Holsey 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 Holsey

The surname Holsey has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hol" and "ey," which together signify a small island or a piece of land surrounded by water or marshes. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, potentially referring to an individual who resided on such a land formation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Holsey, suggesting the name's presence in England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, records from the county of Staffordshire mention a Richard de Holsey, indicating the name's continued presence in the region. During this time, variations in spelling, such as Holsay and Holseye, were not uncommon due to the fluid nature of name transcription.

The 16th century brought forth notable individuals bearing the Holsey surname. One such figure was John Holsey, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, who lived from approximately 1520 to 1585. His prominence in the local community is evidenced by his service as Mayor of Bristol in 1564.

Another significant figure was William Holsey, a renowned scholar and theologian born in Oxfordshire in the late 16th century. He became a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, and later served as the rector of a parish in Buckinghamshire, contributing to the intellectual and religious landscape of his time.

In the 17th century, the name Holsey appeared in various records across England. One notable instance was a marriage record from 1642 in the parish of St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, which documented the union of Robert Holsey and Elizabeth Woodley.

As the centuries progressed, the Holsey surname continued to be represented by individuals from various walks of life. In the 18th century, a prominent figure was Sir Thomas Holsey, a successful merchant and landowner who lived from 1712 to 1789. He was knighted for his contributions to commerce and philanthropy in the city of Bristol.

The 19th century saw the name Holsey associated with several notable figures, including the writer and playwright Samuel Holsey (1820-1887), whose works explored themes of social commentary and satire. Additionally, there was Elizabeth Holsey (1842-1918), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education, who established one of the first schools for girls in the county of Suffolk.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Holsey

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

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

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

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