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

Sembly, 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 Sembly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sembly in America

Sembly is the 147253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sembly surname appeared 112 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Sembly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sembly 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 Sembly

The surname Sembly has its origins in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture that once thrived in areas of Britain. The name is derived from the Old English words "semb" or "sembl," which refer to an assembly or gathering. This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone who lived near a meeting place or an area where councils convened.

The earliest known record of the surname Sembly appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population data compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. In this medieval document, the name is spelled "Semblea," reflecting the linguistic evolution of the name over time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Sembly surname was William Sembly, born in 1295 in the village of Semblebury, located in what is now Wiltshire, England. The name Semblebury itself is believed to be derived from the Old English words "semb" and "burgh," meaning "assembly town," further supporting the connection between the surname and its origins.

Another notable figure in the history of the Sembly name is Sir John Sembly, a prominent landowner and knight who lived during the 14th century. He was known for his participation in the Hundred Years' War between England and France, and his name is recorded in several chronicles of the time.

In the 16th century, the Sembly family gained prominence in the town of Semblyton, located in what is now Oxfordshire. Records show that a wealthy merchant named Thomas Sembly, born in 1521, owned extensive lands and properties in the area.

Moving into the 17th century, the name appears in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in North America. One of the earliest settlers with the surname was Elizabeth Sembly, who arrived in Boston in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail."

Throughout the centuries, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, including Semblye, Semblee, and Semblie. However, the core meaning and origins of the name remain rooted in the concept of an assembly or gathering place, reflecting the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Anglo-Saxons.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sembly

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

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

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

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