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

Ottley, 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 Ottley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ottley in America

Ottley is the 18950th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ottley surname appeared 1,440 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 Ottley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ottley 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 Ottley

The surname Ottley originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "otta" and "leah," meaning a clearing or meadow where otters lived. This suggests that the name likely originated in areas with significant otter populations, such as regions near rivers or marshlands.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1196, which mention a John de Ottelea. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time. In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Ottelay, Oteley, and Ottelege, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

The Ottley name can also be traced to several place names in England, such as Ottley in Yorkshire and Otteley in Staffordshire. These locations may have served as the originating points for some Ottley families, further contributing to the name's diverse spellings and regional variations.

Notably, the Ottley name appeared in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and tenants in England after the Norman Conquest. This early reference suggests that the Ottley family had established roots in England prior to the 11th century.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Ottley surname throughout history are:

1. Sir Francis Ottley (1601-1649), an English politician and military officer who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.
2. William Young Ottley (1771-1836), an English writer and artist known for his contributions to the study of Italian art and architecture.
3. Drury Ottley (1783-1857), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a colonial governor in New Zealand.
4. Jonathan Ottley (1858-1932), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire in the late 19th century.
5. Katharine Ottley (1904-1992), an English artist and illustrator renowned for her work in children's literature and educational materials.

While the Ottley surname may have originated in specific regions of England, it has since spread across the globe, reflecting the migration patterns and histories of various Ottley families over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ottley

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

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

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

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