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

Kayle, 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 Kayle surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Kayle in America

Kayle is the 146011th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kayle surname appeared 104 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kayle.

The history of the last name Kayle

The surname Kayle is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, approximately between the 12th and 14th centuries. It is predominantly found in the southern regions of England, including counties such as Kent and Sussex. The name derives from the Old English pre-7th century word "cael," meaning "bald." This term would have likely been used as a nickname for a bald person, and later evolved into a surname.

Recorded instances of the name appear in various historical documents. One of the earliest written records of the name Kayle is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a John Kayle is listed. This indicates the family’s establishment in that region by the late 13th century. Another early reference can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William Kael is mentioned in the county of Norfolk, suggesting a slightly different spelling of the name.

Throughout history, the surname has undergone minor variations in spelling, including Kayll, Kail, and Kael. This is not unusual given the fluid nature of spelling in medieval times when literacy was low and many names were transcribed by clerks who spelled them phonetically.

Several historical figures bear the surname Kayle. Sir Richard Kayle, born in 1406 and died in 1478, was a noted landowner in Kent, involved in local governance and occasionally mentioned in court documents of the era. Another figure, Thomas Kayle, who lived between 1512 and 1584, was recorded in the parish registers of Charing in Kent and was involved in agricultural development of the area.

In the 17th century, we encounter Anne Kayle, who appears in the Canterbury Wills circa 1634. Her detailed will provides insights into the familial and economic status of the Kayle family at that time. Moving into the 18th century, Captain James Kayle, born in 1732, served in the British Royal Navy and was noted for his participation in the Seven Years' War, highlighting the martial involvement of the family.

By the 19th century, the Kayle surname reached into academia with Dr. Edward Kayle, born in 1825, a noted historian and scholar who wrote extensively on medieval English history and was a fellow of the Royal Historical Society until his death in 1891.

The Kayle surname remains relatively rare today, but its rich history is evident through its earliest recorded individuals and their contributions to English society, spanning various fields such as governance, agriculture, military, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kayle

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kayle 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.

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

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

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