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

Owsley, 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 Owsley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Owsley in America

Owsley is the 10866th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Owsley surname appeared 2,932 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Owsley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Owsley 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 Owsley

The surname Owsley is of English origin, believed to have emerged in the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from a place name, possibly originating from the village of Owslebury in Hampshire, England. The name is a combination of the Old English words "ōfer," meaning "bank" or "ridge," and "lēah," meaning "woodland clearing."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Owsley is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "de Oversle." This early spelling variation suggests that the name may have originated from a different location than Owslebury, potentially a place with a similar name in another part of England.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various medieval records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where it is spelled "Overslay" and "Overslee." These spellings further illustrate the fluidity of surname spellings during that period.

One notable early bearer of the surname was John Owsley, a merchant and landowner from Derbyshire, who lived in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties in the area around Ashbourne.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Owsley family established themselves as prominent landowners in several counties, including Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Warwickshire. William Owsley (1542-1614), a wealthy landowner from Staffordshire, was known for his philanthropic efforts, contributing to the construction of several churches and schools in the region.

In the 18th century, the Owsley name gained further prominence with Thomas Owsley (1701-1786), a successful merchant and industrialist from Warwickshire. He played a significant role in the development of the local textile industry and was instrumental in establishing several mills in the area.

Other notable individuals with the surname Owsley include Thomas Owsley (1781-1858), a prominent lawyer and politician from Kentucky, who served as the 19th Governor of that state. In the field of literature, poet and writer Delmore Owsley (1909-1988) gained recognition for his works exploring themes of identity and social justice.

The name Owsley has been associated with various locations throughout England, such as Owslebury in Hampshire, Oversleigh in Shropshire, and Owsley in Warwickshire, which may have contributed to the surname's evolution and spread across different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Owsley

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

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

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

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