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

Passley, 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 Passley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Passley in America

Passley is the 49914th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Passley surname appeared 420 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 Passley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Passley 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 Passley

The surname Passley is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old English words "paes" meaning a path or road, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing alongside a path or road.

One of the earliest known records of the name Passley is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Pasceleye." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spellings had not yet been established. The name is also documented in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, where it is recorded as "Passelaye."

In the 14th century, the surname Passley began to appear in various manorial records and court rolls throughout England. For instance, a John Passley is mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1345. Additionally, a William Passley is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1380.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Passley continued to be found in various records across England. One notable individual was Robert Passley, a merchant and alderman who lived in London in the late 16th century. He is mentioned in several records related to the city's governance and trade activities.

Another prominent figure was John Passley, born in 1624 in Gloucestershire. He was a notable scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of Swindon in Wiltshire from 1662 until his death in 1697. His writings on theology and religious matters were widely read during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the name Passley continued to be found across various regions of England. One notable individual was William Passley, born in 1732 in Northamptonshire. He was a successful businessman and landowner, and his name appears in several land records and legal documents from that period.

As the centuries passed, the name Passley spread to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. While the spelling has remained relatively consistent, variations such as Passley, Passeley, and Passlye have been encountered in historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Passley

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

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

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

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