2000
#6,415
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,886
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.81
Rare Last name
Polley
Derived from the Middle English word "poll," referring to someone with a distinctive or unusually large head.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,191 Americans carry the last name Polley. That puts it at #7,117 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,029 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Polley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Polley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.2K
1 in 66,029
Census rank
#7,117
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,527 bearers of the surname Polley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7117th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Polley, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Black (7.0%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Polley
The surname Polley is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the early 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "pol" and "leah," which together mean "a clearing in a marshy area." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to describe someone who lived near or owned land in such a location.
The earliest known recording of the surname Polley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, from the year 1275. This record mentions a certain Robert de Polleye, indicating that the name had already been established by that time.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Polly, Pollie, and Pooley, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that era. One notable bearer of the name was John Polley, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.
As the surname spread across England, it also became associated with certain place names. For instance, the village of Polley in Wiltshire may have derived its name from the surname, or vice versa. Similarly, the hamlet of Pooley in Cumbria is believed to have a connection to the name's origins.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Polley. One such person was William Polley (c. 1500 - 1570), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the borough of Lyme Regis during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another prominent figure was John Polley (1630 - 1701), a Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of the Church of Christ in Tiverton, Devon, for over 40 years. His published works include "A Treatise on the Decrees of God" and "A Discourse on the Covenant of Grace."
In the 18th century, James Polley (1732 - 1815) was a British naval officer who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Vice Admiral and was knighted for his service.
Moving into the 19th century, Edward Polley (1810 - 1876) was an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Garrick Theatre and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene.
Finally, John Polley (1877 - 1957) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Portage la Prairie in Manitoba from 1925 to 1935.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Polley
Among Census respondents with the surname Polley, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Black (7.0%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Polley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Polley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.6% · 3,783
- Black or African American7.0% · 319
- Two or more races4.7% · 213
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 160
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 44
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Polley
Polley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,042
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,756
-130 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 1.61
Rank movement Down 627 places
2020
#7,117
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,527
-229 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 1.51
Rank movement Down 75 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,415 | 4,886 | 1.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,042 | 4,756 | 1.61 | -130 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 627 places |
| 2020 | #7,117 | 4,527 | 1.51 | -229 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 75 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Polley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,042 | #7,117 | -1.1% |
| Count | 4,756 | 4,527 | -4.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.61 | 1.51 | -5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Polley bearers went from 4,756 to 4,527 (-4.8% change). The surname moved down 75 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,042 to #7,117.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Polley
FAQ
Polley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Polley?
Name Census estimates that about 5,191 living Americans carry the surname Polley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,029 residents.
How common is Polley?
Polley ranks #7,117 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.51 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,527 people with the surname Polley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,191), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.51 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.51 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Polley.
Has Polley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Polley went from 4,756 recorded bearers to 4,527. That is a decrease of 229 (-4.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,042 to #7,117.
What does the Census say about the background of Polley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Polley, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Black (7.0%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Polley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.6% (3,783 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Polley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.6%), Black (7.0%), Two or More Races (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Polley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Polley mean?
Derived from the Middle English word "poll," referring to someone with a distinctive or unusually large head. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Polley (1.51 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Polley?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Polley is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.