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

Seely, 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 Seely surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Seely in America

Seely is the 6150th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Seely surname appeared 5,571 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 Seely.

We can also compare 2010 data for Seely 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 Seely

The surname Seely is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sæli," which means "happy" or "blessed," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for a cheerful or fortunate person.

The earliest known record of the surname Seely can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Sely." Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, such as Seely, Seeley, Sealy, and Ceely, reflecting regional variations and differences in pronunciation.

In the 14th century, the Seely surname was documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where it appeared as "Sely." This indicates that the name was well-established in the southern counties of England during this period.

One notable early bearer of the Seely surname was William Seely, who was born around 1480 in Buckinghamshire, England. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a church warden in the town of Chesham.

The Seely name also has connections to several place names in England. For instance, the village of Seely in Derbyshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "sæl" and "leah," meaning "happy meadow" or "blessed clearing," suggesting a possible link to the surname's origin.

In the 16th century, the Seely family gained prominence in Norfolk, where they were landowners and influential members of the gentry. One famous bearer of the name was Sir John Seely, who was born in 1594 and served as a member of Parliament for Norfolk in the early 17th century.

Another notable figure with the Seely surname was Robert Seely, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1619 to 1675. He was a prominent Puritan minister and wrote several theological works, including "The Covenant of Grace" and "The Heavenly Conversation."

In the 18th century, the Seely family continued to hold influential positions in various parts of England. One such individual was John Seely, who was born in 1720 and served as the Mayor of Winchester, a historic city in Hampshire, in 1773.

Throughout history, the Seely surname has also been associated with various trades and professions. For instance, in the 17th century, there was a family of Seely weavers in the village of Stalbridge in Dorset, while in the 19th century, the Seely family was known for their involvement in the brewing industry in Nottinghamshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Seely

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

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

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

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