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

Jelley, 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 Jelley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jelley in America

Jelley is the 37544th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jelley surname appeared 593 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 Jelley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jelley 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 Jelley

The surname Jelley originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the counties of Somerset and Devon. It is derived from the Old English word "gēlēwe," which means "yellow," and was likely given as a nickname to someone with yellow or blonde hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jelley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327, where it appears as "Gelew." This suggests that the name had already been established and in use by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Jelley surname appeared in various records in the counties of Somerset and Devon, with spellings such as "Jelly," "Jelley," and "Gelly." These variations were common due to the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

The first recorded person with the surname Jelley was John Jelley, who was born in Somerset around 1450. Another early bearer of the name was William Jelley, born in Devon in 1520.

During the 17th century, the Jelley family spread to other parts of England, particularly to the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. In 1662, a notable figure named Thomas Jelley was born in Gloucestershire. He was a respected landowner and contributed to the local community.

In the 18th century, the Jelley surname gained prominence in the village of Ilchester, Somerset. One of the most notable individuals from this era was Samuel Jelley, born in 1745, who was a successful merchant and philanthropist.

As the centuries passed, the Jelley surname continued to be found throughout England, with families settling in various regions. Other notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Richard Jelley (1788-1865), a prominent lawyer and legal scholar from Gloucestershire.
2. Emily Jelley (1842-1912), a respected educator and advocate for women's rights from Somerset.
3. William Jelley (1872-1946), a renowned architect from Devon who designed several notable buildings in the region.
4. James Jelley (1902-1988), a distinguished physicist from Wiltshire who made significant contributions to the field of solid-state physics.
5. Margaret Jelley (1923-2010), a celebrated author and poet from Somerset, known for her works celebrating the rural landscape and traditions of the county.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the surname Jelley throughout the centuries, reflecting the rich history and heritage associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jelley

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

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

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

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