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

Nunley, 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 Nunley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nunley in America

Nunley is the 3936th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nunley surname appeared 9,046 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Nunley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nunley 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 Nunley

The surname NUNLEY is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old English words "nunnan" meaning "nun" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on lands associated with a nunnery or convent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1195, where a certain "Richard de Nunnelea" is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Nunnelea," provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, records from the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire reference a "William de Nunleia," further reinforcing the connection between the name and the geographical areas it originated from.

The NUNLEY surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Nunley Hill in Staffordshire and Nunley Moor in Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the same root words as the surname, indicating that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals from those specific locations.

Throughout history, there have been notable individuals who carried the NUNLEY surname. One such person was John NUNLEY, a prominent merchant and landowner in Yorkshire during the 16th century, born around 1510 and died in 1587.

Another notable figure was William NUNLEY, a Puritan minister who emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century. Born in 1595, he is known for his influential sermons and his involvement in the establishment of several Puritan settlements.

In the 18th century, there was Thomas NUNLEY, a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Staffordshire, who lived from 1715 to 1798. His innovations in clock design and mechanisms earned him widespread recognition during his lifetime.

The NUNLEY name also appears in historical records related to the English Civil War, with mentions of soldiers and participants bearing the surname on both sides of the conflict.

Additionally, the surname can be found in various parish records, tax rolls, and legal documents throughout the centuries, further solidifying its presence in various regions of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nunley

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

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

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

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