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

Jolly, 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 Jolly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jolly in America

Jolly is the 2306th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jolly surname appeared 15,827 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Jolly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jolly 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 Jolly

The surname Jolly is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "joli," meaning "pretty" or "cheerful." It is believed to have emerged as a nickname for someone with a cheerful or merry disposition.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Jolly dates back to the late 12th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William le Jolif, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1199.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Jolie, Joly, and Jollye, reflecting the evolution of the English language. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a John le Jolye in Oxfordshire.

The Jolly surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Jolly's Acre in Hertfordshire and Jolly's Farm in Kent, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have derived it from these locations.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir John Jolly, a Member of Parliament for Southampton in 1397. Another was Robert Jolly, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer who is credited with introducing the turkey to England from Mexico.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Thomas Jolly fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was killed in action at the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the 18th century, John Jolly (1708-1780) was a renowned English artist known for his landscapes and portrait paintings. He was a founding member of the Society of Artists of Great Britain.

Benjamin Jolly (1758-1823) was a celebrated English physician and author who wrote several works on medical topics, including "The Elements of Midwifery" and "The Principles of Anatomy and Physiology."

In the 19th century, Alfred Jolly (1845-1925) was a prominent English politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Birmingham from 1895 to 1896.

Throughout its history, the Jolly surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this cheerful moniker.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jolly

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

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

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

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