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

Kailey, 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 Kailey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kailey in America

Kailey is the 69793rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kailey surname appeared 281 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 Kailey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kailey 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 Kailey

The surname Kailey has its origins in the Gaelic language, specifically from the Scottish Highlands. Its earliest recorded usage dates back to the 12th century, where it was spelled as "Caillie" or "Cailye." The name is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "cailleach," which means "old woman" or "nun."

During the Middle Ages, the name Kailey was primarily found in the northern regions of Scotland, particularly in the counties of Inverness, Ross-shire, and Sutherland. It is thought that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived near or worked in a convent or monastery, where the term "cailleach" was commonly used to refer to the nuns.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kailey can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1292, where a certain "Gillecrist Cailye" is mentioned as a landowner in the county of Inverness. This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Kailey began to appear in various Scottish historical documents and records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296 and the Spalding Club Miscellany of 1841. These records showcase the name's evolution and different spellings, such as "Caillie," "Kailye," and "Kaylie."

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Kailey throughout history are:

1. Robert Kailey (1588-1663), a Scottish theologian and minister from Aberdeen.
2. Isobel Kailey (1620-1685), a Scottish midwife from Inverness who was accused of witchcraft during the notorious witch trials of the 17th century.
3. William Kailey (1732-1802), a Scottish merchant and entrepreneur from Edinburgh who established a successful trading company in the West Indies.
4. Angus Kailey (1810-1892), a Scottish farmer and landowner from Ross-shire, known for his innovative agricultural practices.
5. Mary Kailey (1865-1944), a Scottish novelist and poet from Sutherland, whose works often explored themes of rural life and the Highlands.

As the centuries passed, the surname Kailey spread beyond Scotland and into other parts of the British Isles, as well as to various regions of the world through Scottish immigration and migration. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Gaelic language and the Scottish Highlands, it has since become a part of the diverse tapestry of surnames found across different cultures and societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kailey

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!