2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Quinerly
Surname derived from a diminutive of the given name Quinn.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 147 Americans carry the last name Quinerly. That puts it at #136,082 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,331,662 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quinerly 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.
Bearers in the US
147
1 in 2,331,662
Census rank
#136,082
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
128
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 128 bearers of the surname Quinerly in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 136082nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quinerly, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.5%. The next largest groups are White (6.3%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quinerly
The surname Quinerly is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the county of Lincolnshire. Its earliest origins can be traced back to the Old English words "cwin" and "leah," which together translate to "a meadow for cows" or "cow pasture."
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Quinerlegh." This entry suggests that the name was initially associated with a particular location or estate that bore a similar name, likely indicating the primary occupation or landholdings of the family at that time.
During the 13th century, various spellings of the name began to emerge, such as "Quynerlye," "Quenerley," and "Quynnerley." These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spelling during the Middle Ages, as they were often influenced by local dialects and regional pronunciation.
One notable bearer of this surname was Sir John Quinerly (1492-1567), a prominent English landowner and member of the gentry in Lincolnshire. He was known for his involvement in local affairs and served as a Justice of the Peace during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another historical figure with this surname was Robert Quinerly (1598-1672), a Puritan minister who emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century. He played a significant role in the religious and cultural development of the colony and was highly respected within the Puritan community.
In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the name Quinerly was also associated with the village of Quinerly in Lincolnshire, which derived its name from the same Old English roots as the surname. This connection suggests that the name may have originated from this specific locality or region.
During the 18th century, the surname Quinerly began to spread beyond its traditional heartland in Lincolnshire, with bearers of the name appearing in various parts of England, including Yorkshire and Surrey. One notable example is William Quinerly (1723-1789), a successful merchant and landowner in Yorkshire, who amassed considerable wealth through his business ventures.
Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Quinerly (1759-1833), a celebrated author and poet from Surrey. Her works, which often explored themes of nature and the English countryside, were highly regarded during her lifetime and helped establish her reputation as a talented writer.
As the centuries progressed, the Quinerly surname continued to spread across England and beyond, with some bearers of the name eventually settling in other parts of the British Isles, as well as in the United States and other English-speaking countries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quinerly
Among Census respondents with the surname Quinerly, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.5%. The next largest groups are White (6.3%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Quinerly 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 Quinerly surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American87.5% · 112
- White6.3% · 8
- Two or more races3.9% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quinerly
Quinerly 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+3 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,915 places
2020
#136,082
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
+2 bearers (+1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,219 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 5,915 places |
| 2020 | #136,082 | 128 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.6%) | Down 2,219 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 Quinerly 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 | #133,863 | #136,082 | -1.7% |
| Count | 126 | 128 | 1.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quinerly bearers went from 126 to 128 (+1.6% change). The surname moved down 2,219 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #136,082.
FAQ
Quinerly surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quinerly?
Name Census estimates that about 147 living Americans carry the surname Quinerly. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,331,662 residents.
How common is Quinerly?
Quinerly ranks #136,082 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 128 people with the surname Quinerly. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (147), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Quinerly.
Has Quinerly become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quinerly went from 126 recorded bearers to 128. That is an increase of 2 (+1.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #136,082.
What does the Census say about the background of Quinerly?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quinerly, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.5%. The next largest groups are White (6.3%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Quinerly in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quinerly appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (87.5%), White (6.3%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Quinerly (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 Quinerly mean?
Surname derived from a diminutive of the given name Quinn. 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 Quinerly (0.04 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 many people are called Quinerly?
Want to know how common the surname Quinerly is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.