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

Quinley, 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 Quinley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quinley in America

Quinley is the 30222nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quinley surname appeared 775 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 Quinley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quinley 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 Quinley

The surname QUINLEY is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Lincolnshire, where the name was derived from the Old English words "cwin" and "leah," meaning "queen's meadow" or "clearing."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name QUINLEY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a landowner named Quindleus, whose name is thought to be an early variation of QUINLEY.

During the 13th century, the name QUINLEY appeared in various historical records and documents, often associated with villages and hamlets in Lincolnshire. For instance, a manor called "Quinley" is mentioned in the Cartulary of Bardney Abbey, dated around 1230.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name QUINLEY was Sir John Quinley, a knight who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1315 and died in battle in 1356.

Another prominent individual was Elizabeth Quinley, a wealthy landowner from Lincolnshire who lived in the 15th century. She is mentioned in the court records of Henry VI's reign, where she was involved in a legal dispute over property rights.

During the 16th century, the surname QUINLEY began to spread beyond Lincolnshire, with records indicating families with this name in neighboring counties like Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire. One notable example is Thomas Quinley, a merchant from York who was born in 1542 and became a prominent figure in the city's trade guilds.

In the 17th century, the name QUINLEY gained further recognition with the birth of John Quinley, a renowned English philosopher and theologian. Born in 1623 in Lincolnshire, he studied at Cambridge University and later became a respected author, publishing several influential works on ethics and religion.

Throughout the centuries, the surname QUINLEY has undergone various spelling variations, including Quinly, Quineley, and Quinlie, reflecting regional dialects and variations in record-keeping practices. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained rooted in its English heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quinley

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

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

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

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