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

Salley, 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 Salley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salley in America

Salley is the 6327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salley surname appeared 5,392 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 Salley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salley 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 Salley

The surname SALLEY is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the old English word "Sæli," which means "dwelling" or "hall," referring to a person who lived near a prominent hall or manor house.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SALLEY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and estates commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Saleya, which is likely an early variation of the modern SALLEY surname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name SALLEY appeared in various records and manuscripts, often associated with places like Salley Abbey in Yorkshire, England, and the village of Salley in Lancashire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname SALLEY throughout history include:

1. John Salley (c. 1390-1458), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1452 until his death.

2. William Salley (c. 1520-1594), an English merchant and explorer who participated in Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation of the globe from 1577 to 1580.

3. Elizabeth Salley (c. 1660-1720), a renowned English embroiderer and textile artist whose works were highly sought after by the nobility and aristocracy of her time.

4. Sir Thomas Salley (1745-1822), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, ultimately attaining the rank of Admiral.

5. Robert Salley (1868-1932), an American politician and lawyer who served as the Attorney General of South Carolina from 1915 to 1919.

The surname SALLEY has also been associated with various place names and locations, including Salley in Derbyshire, Salley Priory in Yorkshire, and Salley Abbey in Lancashire, further cementing its English roots and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salley

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

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

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

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