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

Oatley, 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 Oatley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oatley in America

Oatley is the 48800th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oatley surname appeared 432 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Oatley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oatley 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 Oatley

The surname Oatley has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "atan" and "leah," which together translate to "oat clearing" or "oat meadow." This suggests that the name likely originated in a location where oats were grown or cultivated.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Oatley name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a person named Ralph de Otteleg is mentioned. This spelling variation provides insight into the evolution of the surname over time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Oateleye, Oateley, and Oatelie, as evidenced by records from Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. These different spellings reflect the lack of standardized spelling conventions during that era.

The Oatley surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Oatley in Yorkshire and Oatley in Somerset. These locations may have served as the original homesteads or areas of residence for early bearers of the name.

One notable individual with the Oatley surname was Sir Thomas Oatley (1545-1624), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Another prominent figure was Sir Ralph Oatley (1615-1678), an English merchant and politician who served as the Governor of the East India Company from 1675 to 1677.

In the 18th century, John Oatley (1708-1787) was a notable English engraver and printmaker known for his work in mezzotint and stipple engraving.

The Oatley surname also gained recognition in the field of architecture, with Charles Oatley (1804-1895), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the National Liberal Club.

In the 19th century, Sir William Oatley (1828-1904) was a prominent Australian politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Sydney from 1887 to 1888.

While the Oatley surname originated in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Australia, Canada, and the United States, carried by individuals and families who migrated from the British Isles over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oatley

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

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

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

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