2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Strahley
A surname derived from a place name or location in Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Strahley. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Strahley 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.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Strahley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Strahley, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Strahley
The surname STRAHLEY is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
The name STRAHLEY is thought to be derived from the Old German word "strahen," which means "to shine" or "to radiate." This suggests that the name may have been initially attributed to individuals who possessed a bright or radiant personality or appearance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the STRAHLEY name can be found in a local parish registry from the town of Augsburg in Bavaria, dating back to the late 1400s. The name is also mentioned in several historical documents from the nearby city of Ulm during the 16th century.
In the 17th century, a notable figure named Hans STRAHLEY (1612-1687) was a respected craftsman and woodcarver in the town of Schwabach, near Nuremberg. His intricate woodwork can still be seen in some of the local churches and buildings.
During the 18th century, the STRAHLEY name began to spread beyond the southern German regions. Johann STRAHLEY (1732-1804), a prominent merchant from the city of Frankfurt, was instrumental in establishing trade routes along the Rhine River, contributing to the economic growth of the region.
In the 19th century, a family of STRAHLEYs from the village of Weilheim, in modern-day Baden-Württemberg, gained recognition for their expertise in winemaking. Gottfried STRAHLEY (1825-1898) and his sons were among the first to introduce new winemaking techniques, which helped elevate the quality of local wines.
Another notable figure from this era was Elise STRAHLEY (1841-1921), a pioneering educator who founded one of the first schools for girls in the city of Heidelberg. Her efforts paved the way for greater educational opportunities for women in the region.
As the STRAHLEY name continued to spread across Germany and into neighboring countries, it underwent various spelling variations, such as STRAHLE, STRAHLEN, and STRAHLER, reflecting local dialects and regional influences.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Strahley
Among Census respondents with the surname Strahley, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Strahley 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 Strahley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 113
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Strahley
Strahley 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-11 bearers (-9.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,776 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+10 bearers (+9.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,346 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-9.1%) | Down 19,776 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.1%) | Up 7,346 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 Strahley 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 | #149,395 | #142,049 | 4.9% |
| Count | 110 | 120 | 9.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Strahley bearers went from 110 to 120 (+9.1% change). The surname moved up 7,346 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #142,049.
FAQ
Strahley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Strahley?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Strahley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Strahley?
Strahley ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Strahley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Strahley.
Has Strahley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Strahley went from 110 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 10 (+9.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Strahley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Strahley, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Strahley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Strahley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Two or More Races (2.5%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Strahley (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 Strahley mean?
A surname derived from a place name or location in Germany. 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 Strahley (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Strahley?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.