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

Pelley, 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 Pelley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pelley in America

Pelley is the 17651st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pelley surname appeared 1,592 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 Pelley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pelley 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 Pelley

The surname Pelley is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pell," which referred to a type of fur or skin. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked with furs or skins, such as a furrier or a tanner.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Pelley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166. This document mentions a person named William Pelle, which is likely an early spelling variation of the surname.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Pelle, Pely, and Pelley, in records from different parts of England, such as Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire. This indicates that the name was relatively widespread across the country at the time.

One notable historical reference is the mention of a John Pelley in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327. This record provides evidence of the surname's existence in the region during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the name Pelley appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Berkshire, suggesting that the family had established roots in the area. One such entry from 1665 lists a Thomas Pelley as a resident of the village of Longworth.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Pelley have gained prominence. One notable figure was Sir John Pelley (1530-1589), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Shoreham during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was William Pelley (1890-1965), an American writer and fascist political activist who founded the Silver Shirt movement in the 1930s. Pelley's controversial views and activities garnered significant attention during his lifetime.

In the field of literature, Leonard Pelley (1850-1935) was a Canadian author and journalist who wrote several novels and short stories, including the book "Hudson's Green" in 1908.

In the realm of sports, John Pelley (born 1954) was a professional football player who played as a defensive back for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL) during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Lastly, Thomas Pelley (1899-1964) was a British artist and painter known for his landscapes and portrait works, many of which were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries in London.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pelley

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

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

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

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