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

Rumley, 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 Rumley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rumley in America

Rumley is the 15719th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rumley surname appeared 1,855 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 Rumley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rumley 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 Rumley

The surname Rumley is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Romeley or Rumley, located in the county of Shropshire. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "rum," meaning spacious or roomy, and "leah," meaning a woodland clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Rumley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from the year 1180, where a William de Rumelie is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region during that time period.

The Rumley surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landholders in England. This document mentions a Robert de Romelee from Worcestershire, indicating the name's presence in neighboring counties as well.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Romelay, Romeley, and Rumley, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. One notable figure from this time was John Rumley, a landowner from Staffordshire, who was recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332.

During the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the rise of Thomas Rumley (c. 1500-1567), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament. He served as the recorder of Gloucester and was known for his legal expertise.

Another notable bearer of the Rumley name was Robert Rumley (1592-1658), an English clergyman and author. He served as the rector of Woodham Walter in Essex and wrote several religious works, including "The Practice of Piety" and "The Heavenly Conversation."

In the 18th century, John Rumley (1721-1794) was a respected English engraver and artist. He is known for his intricate copper engravings and illustrations, many of which depicted scenes from classical literature and mythology.

Moving into the 19th century, Sir Samuel Wilkinson Rumley (1826-1909) was a prominent English industrialist and engineer. He founded the Rumley Engineering Company, which specialized in the production of agricultural machinery and played a significant role in the development of modern farming equipment.

Throughout its history, the Rumley surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire, where its earliest roots can be traced.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rumley

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

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

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

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