2000
#6,534
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,789
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.78
Rare Last name
Lemley
Derived from a place name in England, likely referring to a meadow or clearing with elm trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,062 Americans carry the last name Lemley. That puts it at #7,280 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 67,711 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lemley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
5.1K
1 in 67,711
Census rank
#7,280
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,414 bearers of the surname Lemley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7280th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lemley, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lemley
Among Census respondents with the surname Lemley, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Lemley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Lemley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 4,019
- Two or more races4.1% · 182
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 118
- Black or African American0.9% · 40
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 27
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lemley
Lemley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,162
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,670
-119 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 1.58
Rank movement Down 628 places
2020
#7,280
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,414
-256 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 1.48
Rank movement Down 118 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,534 | 4,789 | 1.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,162 | 4,670 | 1.58 | -119 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 628 places |
| 2020 | #7,280 | 4,414 | 1.48 | -256 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 118 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lemley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,162 | #7,280 | -1.6% |
| Count | 4,670 | 4,414 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.58 | 1.48 | -6.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lemley bearers went from 4,670 to 4,414 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 118 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,162 to #7,280.
FAQ
Lemley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lemley?
Name Census estimates that about 5,062 living Americans carry the surname Lemley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 67,711 residents.
How common is Lemley?
Lemley ranks #7,280 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.48 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,414 people with the surname Lemley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,062), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.48 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Lemley.
Has Lemley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lemley went from 4,670 recorded bearers to 4,414. That is a decrease of 256 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,162 to #7,280.
What does the Census say about the background of Lemley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lemley, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lemley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (4,019 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lemley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Two or More Races (4.1%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lemley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lemley mean?
Derived from a place name in England, likely referring to a meadow or clearing with elm trees. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lemley (1.48 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Lemley?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.