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

Ousley, 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 Ousley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ousley in America

Ousley is the 7048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ousley surname appeared 4,751 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ousley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ousley 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 Ousley

The surname Ousley has its origins in England, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ofa" and "leah," meaning "ridge" and "forest clearing" respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person living near a forest clearing on a ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ofesleah." This historical record provides valuable insight into the distribution of the name during the Norman conquest of England.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Offeslegh, Offesley, and Owsley, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings during that era. These variations often corresponded to different regions or local dialects.

Notably, the Ousley surname has been associated with several prominent individuals throughout history. One such figure was John Ousley, a 16th-century English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, born around 1497 and dying in 1555.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Ousley, a 17th-century English politician and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1673 to 1677. He was born in 1631 and passed away in 1692.

In the realm of literature, William Ousley (1771-1847) was a notable English poet and clergyman, known for his contributions to religious poetry and hymns during the early 19th century.

The Ousley surname has also been associated with notable figures in the United States. One such individual was John Ousley (1821-1890), a prominent American politician and lawyer who served as a judge in Kentucky and later as a U.S. Representative from 1867 to 1869.

Another American figure with the Ousley surname was Roger Ousley (1918-2003), a renowned jazz musician and saxophonist who played with various big bands and orchestras throughout the 20th century.

While the surname Ousley has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of individuals bearing this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ousley

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

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

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

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