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

Housley, 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 Housley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Housley in America

Housley is the 8361st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Housley surname appeared 3,960 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 Housley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Housley 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 Housley

The surname Housley originated in England and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'hol' meaning 'hollow' and 'leah' meaning 'meadow' or 'clearing'. The name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a meadow situated in a hollow or valley.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Housley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I. In these rolls, the name appears as 'de Holesleye', reflecting the Old English origin.

The Housley surname is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings across England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is recorded as 'Holesleia' and 'Holesleie' in this important historical document.

During the Middle Ages, the name Housley was primarily concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire and Derbyshire in northern England. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, including Holsley, Houlsley, and Howsley, reflecting regional dialects and inconsistent record-keeping practices.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Housley include:

1. John Housley (c. 1350-1425), an English cleric and scholar who served as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.
2. Sir Robert Housley (1575-1645), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I.
3. Elizabeth Housley (1683-1762), a prominent Quaker minister and writer from Yorkshire.
4. Samuel Housley (1791-1867), a British inventor and engineer who patented several innovations in textile machinery.
5. William Housley (1835-1911), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Derbyshire who founded the Housley Charity Trust.

The surname Housley is also associated with various place names, such as Housley Park in Derbyshire and Housley Village in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its geographic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Housley

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

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

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

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