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

Stanley, 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 Stanley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stanley in America

Stanley is the 321st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stanley surname appeared 96,867 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 33 people would have the surname Stanley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Stanley 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 Stanley

The surname Stanley originates from the Old English words 'stan' meaning stone and 'leah' meaning a clearing or meadow. It is an English locational surname that first emerged in Staffordshire, England during the 11th century.

The name likely referred to someone who lived near a stony clearing or meadow. The earliest known recording of the surname is found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Stanlei'.

During the 12th century, the name began to spread across England, with various spellings emerging such as Stanlegh, Stanleye, and Stawnley. Place names like Stanley in Derbyshire and Stanley in Wiltshire also contributed to the growth of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Stanley surname was William de Stanley, who was born in Staffordshire around 1235. He was a prominent landowner and served as a knight during the reign of King Henry III.

Another notable figure was Sir John Stanley (1350-1414), who was a military commander and played a crucial role in the Battle of Shrewsbury during the Wars of the Roses. He was later appointed as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

In the 16th century, Sir William Stanley (1548-1630) gained fame as a soldier and navigator. He was instrumental in the establishment of British colonies in North America and served as the Governor of Newfoundland.

Edward Stanley, 1st Baron Monteagle (1460-1523), was a prominent English nobleman and a close advisor to King Henry VIII. He is best known for his role in uncovering the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, which aimed to assassinate the King.

Thomas Stanley (1625-1678), born in Derbyshire, was a renowned English philosopher, poet, and translator. He is celebrated for his translations of ancient Greek and Roman works, including those of Aeschylus and Anacreon.

Throughout its history, the Stanley surname has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including military, politics, exploration, and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stanley

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

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

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

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