2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Torley
A habitational surname derived from a place name in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Torley. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Torley 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Torley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Torley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Torley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Torley
The surname Torley has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "tor" and "leah," which together mean "a meadow or clearing on a hill or rocky eminence." As such, it was likely an occupational name for someone who lived or worked in such a location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a William Torley is listed. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a John de Torle in Buckinghamshire. These early spellings, such as "Torle" and "de Torle," reflect the name's evolution over time.
In the 14th century, the Torley surname appeared in various records across England, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379, which lists a Johannes Torlay. The name was particularly concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Buckinghamshire, and Yorkshire during this period.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Torley name continued to be found in various records and documents throughout England. One notable bearer was Robert Torley, a merchant from London who lived from 1580 to 1654. He was involved in the East India Company and was known for his philanthropic work in the city.
In the 18th century, a branch of the Torley family settled in the village of Torley in Staffordshire. This village likely took its name from the same Old English roots as the surname, indicating a historical connection to the place.
Other notable individuals with the Torley surname include:
1. Thomas Torley (1637-1697), an English clergyman and author from Worcestershire.
2. Elizabeth Torley (1688-1765), a landowner and philanthropist from Yorkshire.
3. John Torley (1759-1837), a member of the British Parliament representing Buckinghamshire in the early 19th century.
4. William Torley (1802-1876), a prominent industrialist and businessman from Lancashire.
5. Mary Torley (1842-1912), a social reformer and activist for women's rights in London.
While the Torley surname has remained relatively rare throughout history, its origins and presence in various regions of England over the centuries showcase the rich tapestry of the country's historical records and the linguistic roots of its names.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Torley
Among Census respondents with the surname Torley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Torley 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 Torley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino6.4% · 7
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Torley
Torley 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-13 bearers (-10.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,655 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 247 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.7%) | Down 21,655 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 247 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 Torley 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 | #150,452 | #150,205 | 0.2% |
| Count | 109 | 109 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Torley bearers went from 109 to 109 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 247 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #150,205.
FAQ
Torley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Torley?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Torley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Torley?
Torley ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Torley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Torley.
Has Torley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Torley went from 109 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Torley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Torley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Torley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Torley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Hispanic (6.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Torley (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 Torley mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name in England. 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 Torley (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 common is the surname Torley?
You can see how many people have the last name Torley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.