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

Only, 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 Only surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Only in America

Only is the 107669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Only surname appeared 165 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 Only.

We can also compare 2010 data for Only 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 Only

The surname ONLY is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "anleig," which means "solitary" or "alone." This name likely originated in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, when surnames began to emerge in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ONLY can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1297. This record mentions a William Aneley, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the name ONLY.

During the 16th century, the name ONLY appeared in various historical documents, such as parish records and tax rolls. For example, in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1524, there is a reference to a John Onely.

The surname ONLY may also have been influenced by the Old English place name "Oneleye," which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. This place name likely referred to a solitary or isolated area, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the concept of being alone or solitary.

Notable individuals with the surname ONLY throughout history include:

1. John Only (c. 1610-1662), an English clergyman and author of religious works.
2. William Only (1573-1645), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Newtown, Isle of Wight.
3. Elizabeth Only (c. 1580-1640), an English woman accused of witchcraft during the infamous Pendle witch trials in Lancashire.
4. James Only (1805-1878), a Scottish-born Australian farmer and explorer who was one of the earliest European settlers in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria.
5. Thomas Only (1765-1839), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Newgate Prison.

While the surname ONLY is relatively uncommon today, its historical roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it originated as a descriptor of someone who lived in solitary or isolated circumstances.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Only

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

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

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

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