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

Townley, 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 Townley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Townley in America

Townley is the 8386th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Townley surname appeared 3,947 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 Townley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Townley 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 Townley

The surname Townley is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "tun" meaning "an enclosure or a village" and "leah" meaning "a meadow." It is a locational name, suggesting that the earliest bearers of the name hailed from a settlement or village situated in a meadow.

The name first appeared in historical records during the 12th century, with early variations of the spelling including Tunley, Towneley, and Townlay. The Domesday Book, the remarkable survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Townley. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Tunlei in Derbyshire and Tonlei in Hertfordshire, which may have influenced the development of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1177, which mention a Richard de Towneley. This suggests that the name was already established in Lancashire by the late 12th century. The Townleys of Lancashire were a prominent family, owning lands and estates in the area for several centuries.

Notable bearers of the surname Townley include Sir Richard Townley (1591-1647), a Member of Parliament for Lancashire during the English Civil War, and his son, Sir John Townley (1620-1647), who fought on the Royalist side during the same conflict. Another noteworthy individual was Charles Townley (1737-1805), a renowned art collector and benefactor whose collection formed the foundation of the British Museum's classical sculpture collection.

In the literary realm, Charles Townley (1798-1876), an English author and journalist, gained recognition for his works on British history and his contributions to various publications. Additionally, Reverend James Townley (1774-1833), an English clergyman and author, is remembered for his religious writings and sermons.

While the surname Townley has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to emigration and settlement patterns. However, the earliest recorded examples and historical references undoubtedly trace the name's origins back to its English beginnings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Townley

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

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

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

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