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

Stelly, 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 Stelly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stelly in America

Stelly is the 8541st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stelly surname appeared 3,854 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Stelly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Stelly 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 Stelly

The surname Stelly has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "steall," meaning a dwelling or homestead. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a particular place or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex, a legal document from 1285, which mentions a Richard Stelly. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 include an entry for a John Stelly.

In the 14th century, the name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 list a William Stelly from Oxfordshire, while the Inquisitions Post Mortem for Gloucestershire from 1362 reference a John Stelly.

Although the Stelly surname does not appear in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, it is possible that it was derived from a place name that was recorded in that survey. Some potential place name origins include Stelley in Wiltshire or Stelly in Norfolk.

Notable individuals with the surname Stelly include:

1. Robert Stelly (c. 1380 - 1450), a prominent merchant and landowner from Bristol, England.
2. John Stelly (1565 - 1638), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Book of Revelation.
3. Elizabeth Stelly (1690 - 1765), a renowned embroiderer and needleworker from London.
4. Thomas Stelly (1725 - 1798), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
5. William Stelly (1810 - 1878), an English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

While the Stelly surname may not be among the most common in England, its long history and diverse geographical distribution over the centuries have contributed to its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stelly

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

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

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

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