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

Pulley, 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 Pulley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pulley in America

Pulley is the 4435th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pulley surname appeared 8,007 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Pulley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pulley 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 Pulley

The surname Pulley is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from an occupational name, referring to someone who was involved in the manufacture or operation of pulleys, which were mechanical devices used for lifting and moving heavy objects.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pulley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from the year 1275, where a person named Richard le Puliere is mentioned. This spelling variation, "le Puliere," reflects the Old French influence on the English language during that time.

The name Pulley is also associated with various place names in England, particularly in the county of Gloucestershire. For example, the village of Pulley, located near Tewkesbury, is believed to have taken its name from the Pulley family who resided there during the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the 16th century, the surname Pulley appeared in several historical records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1524, which mentions a John Pulley. Another notable example is the will of William Pulley, a yeoman from Gloucestershire, dated 1578.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Pulley have achieved recognition in various fields. One such person was Sir Christopher Pulley (1565-1626), an English judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King James I. Another notable figure was John Pulley (1638-1714), a English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

In the literary world, Pauline Pulley (1909-1993) was an American novelist and short story writer, known for her works set in the American South. Meanwhile, in the realm of sports, Clive Pulley (born 1955) was an English cricketer who played for Hampshire County Cricket Club in the 1970s and 1980s.

Additionally, the name Pulley has been associated with several places in the United States, such as Pulley's Mill, a historic grist mill located in Virginia, and Pulley Ridge, an underwater ridge in the Gulf of Mexico known for its diverse marine ecosystem.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pulley

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

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

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

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