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

Raley, 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 Raley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raley in America

Raley is the 5281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raley surname appeared 6,593 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Raley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raley 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 Raley

The surname Raley is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, likely deriving from a topographic name referring to a person who lived near a rail or boundary fence. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "ræl" or "rægel," meaning "rail" or "bar."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a John Rayley.

Another early record of the name is in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, which lists a William de la Reyle. This spelling variation highlights the influence of the Norman French language on English surnames during this period.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Rayle, Ralle, and Raleigh, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings at the time. One notable individual from this era was Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1552-1618), an English writer, poet, soldier, courtier, and explorer, who played a prominent role in the English Renaissance.

The Raley surname has also been associated with several place names throughout England, including Raleigh in Devon, Raleys in Essex, and Raleys Manor in Hertfordshire. These place names likely influenced the development and spread of the surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Raley include:

1. William Raley (c. 1580-1659), an English merchant and member of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
2. John Raley (c. 1640-1720), an English soldier who served in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession.
3. Mary Raley (c. 1710-1795), an English author and poet known for her work "The Poetic Garland."
4. Thomas Raley (c. 1780-1848), an English industrialist and founder of the Raley Iron Works in Birmingham.
5. Elizabeth Raley (1829-1901), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Raley Academy for Young Ladies in Pennsylvania.

While the surname Raley may have evolved over time and across different regions, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it was likely derived from a topographic name related to boundary markers or fences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raley

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!