Lately
Originally derived from the Middle English "late" meaning slow or late.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 206 Americans carry the last name Lately. That puts it at #102,688 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,663,856 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lately surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
206
1 in 1,663,856
Census rank
#102,688
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
175
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 175 bearers of the surname Lately in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 102688th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lately, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and White (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lately
The surname "LATELY" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that has since been lost over time or evolved into a different spelling.
One theory suggests that the name may have originated from a now-extinct place called "Latelie" or a similar variant, which was likely a small village or hamlet in England. The name could have been taken by families who hailed from this location or were associated with it in some way.
Another possibility is that the name "LATELY" is a corruption or anglicized version of a Norman-French locational name, as many English surnames have evolved from French roots due to the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
Unfortunately, there are no known historical records or manuscripts that definitively mention the surname "LATELY" during the early Middle Ages or the Norman period. However, this does not necessarily preclude its existence, as many records from that time have been lost or destroyed.
The earliest known recorded instances of the surname "LATELY" date back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries in various parish records and historical documents from various parts of England, such as the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire.
One notable bearer of the surname was William Lately (c. 1580-1645), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the rector of Bishopsbourne in Kent during the early 17th century.
Another individual of note was John Lately (c. 1620-1687), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, whose family is believed to have been among the earliest documented bearers of the surname in England.
In the 18th century, the name "LATELY" appears in various records from the county of Lincolnshire, where a family of that name owned land and property in the village of Scampton. One member of this family was Robert Lately (1742-1812), a prominent farmer and local magistrate.
During the 19th century, the surname "LATELY" was also found in parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where families with this name worked as weavers, miners, and tradesmen. One such individual was Samuel Lately (1819-1892), a cotton mill worker from Blackburn, Lancashire.
Another notable bearer of the surname was Mary Lately (1832-1911), a schoolteacher and philanthropist from Leeds, Yorkshire, who established several charitable institutions for the education of underprivileged children in the city.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lately
Among Census respondents with the surname Lately, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and White (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Lately bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lately surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American88.0%
- Two or more races5.1%
- White4.0%
- Unknown or suppressed2.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lately surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #117,538 | #102,688 | 12.6% |
| Count | 137 | 175 | 27.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 20.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Lately bearers went from 137 to 175 (+27.7% change). The surname moved up 14,850 positions in the national ranking, going from #117,538 to #102,688.
FAQ
Lately surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lately?
The surname Lately holds position #102,688 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 206 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lately surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lately, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and White (4.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.