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

Telly, 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 Telly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Telly in America

Telly is the 98099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Telly surname appeared 185 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 Telly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Telly 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 Telly

The surname Telly is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "telga," which means "branch" or "twig." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a prominent tree or wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Telly can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named Robert Telge is mentioned. This spelling variation further supports the connection to the Old English word "telga."

During the 13th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of England, with records showing individuals named Telly residing in counties such as Oxfordshire and Lincolnshire. One notable example is John Telly, who was born in Oxfordshire around 1250 and served as a local magistrate.

In the 14th century, the surname Telly was found in various historical documents, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which listed a Thomas Telly as a taxpayer. This period also saw the emergence of variations in spelling, such as Telley and Telli, possibly due to regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of written records at the time.

One of the earliest known place names associated with the surname Telly is Tellytown, a small hamlet located in Lincolnshire. This name likely derived from the presence of individuals bearing the Telly surname in the area, indicating their connection to the land.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Telly. One such figure was Richard Telly, born in 1567 in Oxfordshire, who was a renowned scholar and author of several theological works. Another was William Telly, born in 1624 in Yorkshire, who served as a captain in the English Civil War and fought alongside Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary forces.

In the 18th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of James Telly (1724-1802), a successful merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. His son, John Telly (1753-1819), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent figure in the textile industry.

As the centuries progressed, the Telly surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with individuals from this family making contributions in various fields, including agriculture, education, and the military.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Telly

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

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

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

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