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

Jelly, 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 Jelly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jelly in America

Jelly is the 113155th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jelly surname appeared 155 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 Jelly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jelly 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 Jelly

The surname JELLY is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "gelede," which referred to a person who lived near a pond or marshy area. The name likely evolved from this term to describe someone who lived in a particularly wet or muddy region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name JELLY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gelede." This vital record from the time of William the Conqueror suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in various parts of England.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname JELLY appeared in various forms, including "Gelly," "Gellie," and "Jellie," reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. These early spellings provide insight into the name's evolution from its Old English roots.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Jelly, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born in 1320 in Gloucestershire and served under King Edward III, participating in several crucial battles during the conflict.

Another prominent figure was William Jelly, a merchant and landowner who lived in Essex during the 15th century. Records from 1472 indicate that he held significant property and played a role in local affairs, reflecting the name's association with landowners and the gentry during that period.

Moving into the 16th century, we find mention of Thomas Jelly, a scholar and clergyman who was born in 1532 in Oxfordshire. He attended Oxford University and later became a respected theologian and author, publishing several works on religious topics.

In the 17th century, the name JELLY was also present in the American colonies. One notable example is Robert Jelly, who immigrated to Virginia from England in 1635. He settled in the Jamestown area and became a prosperous landowner and planter, contributing to the early development of the colony.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the JELLY surname continued to be found across various regions of England, as well as in parts of the United States and other English-speaking countries. However, it remained a relatively uncommon name, with only a few notable individuals bearing it during this period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jelly

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

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

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

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