2000
#7,566
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,053
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.50
Rare Last name
Schooley
An occupational surname for a person who taught at or was associated with a school.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,447 Americans carry the last name Schooley. That puts it at #8,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 77,075 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schooley 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Schooley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.4K
1 in 77,075
Census rank
#8,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,878 bearers of the surname Schooley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schooley, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schooley
The surname Schooley has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "scol" or "scolu," meaning "school" or "place of learning," combined with the suffix "-ey" or "-y," indicating a location or place.
One of the earliest recorded references to this surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1275, where it appears as "de Scoleley." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone residing near or associated with a school or educational institution.
During the Middle Ages, the name was also spelled in various ways, such as Scoleye, Scoley, and Scouley, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling practices of the time. It is likely that the surname originated from a specific place name, although the exact location remains uncertain.
One notable individual bearing this surname was Sir John Schooley, who lived in the late 14th century and served as a member of the English Parliament. Another historical figure was Thomas Schooley, born in 1603, who was among the early settlers of New Jersey in the American colonies.
In the 17th century, the name gained prominence in Scotland, particularly in the Borders region. One of the earliest recorded instances is Robert Schooley, born in 1620 in Berwickshire, who later became a prominent merchant and landowner.
Moving into the 18th century, William Schooley (1715-1798) was a notable figure who served as a captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the United States.
Another individual of note was Elizabeth Schooley (1788-1863), a Quaker minister and advocate for abolition and women's rights in the early 19th century. She was known for her powerful sermons and efforts to promote social justice.
Throughout history, the Schooley surname has been present across various regions, with bearers contributing to various fields, including education, politics, business, and social reform movements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schooley
Among Census respondents with the surname Schooley, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Schooley 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 Schooley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 3,532
- Two or more races3.8% · 147
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 134
- Black or African American0.7% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schooley
Schooley 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
#8,342
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,968
-85 bearers (-2.1%)
Per 100,000 1.35
Rank movement Down 776 places
2020
#8,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,878
-90 bearers (-2.3%)
Per 100,000 1.30
Rank movement Up 160 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,566 | 4,053 | 1.50 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,342 | 3,968 | 1.35 | -85 bearers (-2.1%) | Down 776 places |
| 2020 | #8,182 | 3,878 | 1.30 | -90 bearers (-2.3%) | Up 160 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 Schooley 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 | #8,342 | #8,182 | 1.9% |
| Count | 3,968 | 3,878 | -2.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.35 | 1.30 | -3.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schooley bearers went from 3,968 to 3,878 (-2.3% change). The surname moved up 160 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,342 to #8,182.
FAQ
Schooley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schooley?
Name Census estimates that about 4,447 living Americans carry the surname Schooley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 77,075 residents.
How common is Schooley?
Schooley ranks #8,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.30 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,878 people with the surname Schooley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,447), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.30 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Schooley.
Has Schooley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schooley went from 3,968 recorded bearers to 3,878. That is a decrease of 90 (-2.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,342 to #8,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Schooley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schooley, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Schooley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (3,532 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schooley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Two or More Races (3.8%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Schooley (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 Schooley mean?
An occupational surname for a person who taught at or was associated with a school. 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 Schooley (1.30 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 share the surname Schooley?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.