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

Posley, 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 Posley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Posley in America

Posley is the 42378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Posley surname appeared 512 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 Posley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Posley 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 Posley

The surname Posley has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Poslingford or Poslingworth, which were ancient villages located in the county of Suffolk. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "pos" meaning a small cluster of houses, and "ling" meaning a heather-covered area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Posley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1201, where a certain William de Poselinge is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already taken on its more modern spelling by the early 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Posley name appears in various tax records and legal documents, indicating that the family had established itself in various parts of England. For example, a John Posley is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, while a Richard Posley is recorded in the Court Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1379.

One notable bearer of the Posley name was Sir William Posley, a wealthy landowner and knight who lived in the late 15th century. He is recorded as having participated in the Wars of the Roses and fought alongside the Yorkist forces at the Battle of Towton in 1461.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Posley, born in 1540, who was a renowned scholar and theologian. He served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and was known for his writings on religious matters.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Posley family continued to spread across various parts of England, with branches of the family establishing themselves in counties such as Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Lincolnshire. Records from this period show variations in the spelling, including Poseley, Poselye, and Posseley.

In the 18th century, a notable Posley was John Posley, born in 1712, who was a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol. He was instrumental in the development of the city's shipping industry and served as a local magistrate.

Another figure of note was Elizabeth Posley, born in 1789, who was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education. She founded one of the first schools for girls in the town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and was widely respected for her progressive teaching methods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Posley

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

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

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

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