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

Priestley, 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 Priestley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Priestley in America

Priestley is the 15325th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Priestley surname appeared 1,914 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 Priestley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Priestley 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 Priestley

The surname Priestley originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "preost," meaning priest, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing, making it a name given to someone who lived near the priest's meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it appears as "William de Presteley." This suggests that the name was already established in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a "Thomas de Presteley" from Derbyshire.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain the name Priestley, indicating that the name likely emerged after the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Priestley was William Priestley, born around 1489 in Yorkshire, England. He was a prominent churchman and served as the Rector of Bingley in West Yorkshire.

Sir William Priestley (1614-1707), born in Yorkshire, was a notable English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ripon during the reign of Charles II.

Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), born in Birstall, Yorkshire, was a renowned English scholar, theologian, and scientist. He is best known for his pioneering work in the field of chemistry, including the discovery of oxygen and the invention of soda water.

John Priestley (1805-1876), born in Yorkshire, was a prominent English industrialist and philanthropist. He founded the Priestley Wool Combing Company, which played a significant role in the textile industry of the time.

Mary Priestley (1925-2008), born in Yorkshire, was a celebrated English actress known for her roles in television and theater productions.

The name Priestley has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Priestley Green in West Yorkshire and Priestley Village in Lancashire, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Priestley

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

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

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

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