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

Lemley, 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 Lemley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lemley in America

Lemley is the 7162nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lemley surname appeared 4,670 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Lemley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lemley 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 Lemley

The surname Lemley is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locative name, derived from a place name or geographic location. Some researchers suggest that it may be associated with the town of Lemley in Staffordshire, while others link it to the village of Lamley near Nottingham.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where a Robert de Lemley is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the presence of the name in the region during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the Lemley name appears in various historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Staffordshire from 1443, which mentions a John Lemley. This indicates that the family had established roots in the area over several generations.

During the Tudor period, a notable figure bearing the Lemley surname was Sir John Lemley (c.1520-1585), a prominent English politician and landowner. He served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire and held significant influence in the region.

Another individual of note was William Lemley (1609-1672), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Bolas in Shropshire. His works included theological treatises and sermons, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.

In the 18th century, the Lemley family spread beyond England, with records indicating their presence in other parts of the British Isles. One example is Thomas Lemley (1725-1803), an Irish landowner and member of the gentry from County Antrim.

As the centuries progressed, the name continued to be found in various historical documents and records, reflecting the family's enduring legacy across different regions of the British Isles.

It is worth noting that variations in spelling, such as Lemly, Lemmley, and Lemmly, were common throughout the centuries due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects. However, the core surname of Lemley has remained a distinct and recognizable name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lemley

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

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

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

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