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

Sunley, 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 Sunley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sunley in America

Sunley is the 95115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sunley surname appeared 192 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 Sunley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sunley 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 Sunley

The surname Sunley is of English origin, originating in the northern counties of England during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words "sunne" meaning sun and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, suggesting that the name referred to someone who lived in a sunny meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sunley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Sunleia" in reference to a place name. This suggests that the surname may have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a particular sunny meadow or clearing.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Sunlegh" and "Sunlye" appearing in various parts of northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. These early spellings reflect the regional dialects and pronunciations of the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Sunley include Sir William Sunley (1558-1635), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who served as Lord Mayor of York in 1619. Another notable bearer of the name was John Sunley (1720-1798), a renowned clockmaker from Lancashire, whose intricate timepieces were highly prized in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Sunley family made their mark in the industrial revolution, with Thomas Sunley (1810-1887) establishing a successful textile mill in Lancashire. His son, James Sunley (1842-1916), continued to expand the family business and was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local schools and hospitals.

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most prominent figures with the Sunley surname was Sir John Sunley (1918-2002), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Sunley Group, a prominent construction and property development company. He was knighted in 1981 for his contributions to the industry and his charitable work.

Throughout its history, the surname Sunley has maintained a strong presence in northern England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where its origins can be traced back to the medieval period. While the name has evolved over time, its connection to the concept of a sunny meadow or clearing remains a fascinating aspect of its etymology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sunley

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

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

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

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