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

Overley, 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 Overley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Overley in America

Overley is the 39486th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Overley surname appeared 557 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 Overley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Overley 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 Overley

The surname Overley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ofer" meaning "over" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing situated higher up or beyond another location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Overley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled by English officials. This document mentions a Richard de Ourelee, whose name is likely a variant spelling of Overley.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Overley, Overleigh, and Overly, in various records from different parts of England. For example, a John Overley was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1348.

The surname Overley has also been associated with certain place names in England, such as Overley Green in Cheshire and Overley Hill in Worcestershire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Overley throughout history include:

1. William Overley (c. 1530-1609), an English landowner and member of the gentry in Staffordshire.
2. John Overley (c. 1580-1645), an English clergyman and author of religious works.
3. Thomas Overley (1663-1743), an English lawyer and judge who served as a justice of the King's Bench.
4. Sarah Overley (1701-1776), an English philanthropist and benefactor who endowed several charitable institutions.
5. Edward Overley (1825-1898), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and wrote about his expeditions.

While the surname Overley may have evolved from various spellings and place names over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English words describing a location near an elevated meadow or clearing, reflecting the connection between surnames and the geographical features associated with their bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Overley

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

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

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

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