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

Townsley, 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 Townsley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Townsley in America

Townsley is the 11440th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Townsley surname appeared 2,753 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 Townsley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Townsley 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 Townsley

The surname Townsley originated in England during the 12th century. It is a habitation name derived from the Old English words "tun" meaning an enclosure or village, and "ley" meaning a meadow or clearing. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a meadow near a village or town.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Townsley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1176, where it was spelled as "Tuneslega". This suggests that the name was already established in the English Midlands by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, variations of the name such as "Tunsleye" and "Townesleye" appeared in various county records across England, indicating that the name had spread to other regions.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a certain William Townsley was listed as a landowner in Derbyshire, providing evidence of the name's presence in the East Midlands during that period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Townsley, who was born in Yorkshire around 1420. He served as a member of the Yorkshire gentry and was recorded in the Yorkshire Visitation of 1585.

During the 16th century, the Townsley family established itself in Lancashire, where they became prominent landowners. Sir Richard Townsley (1537-1599), a member of this Lancashire branch, was a notable figure who served as High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1592.

In the 17th century, the Townsley name appeared in various parish records across England, including those of Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire, indicating the widespread distribution of the name.

A notable bearer of the Townsley name was Sir Roger Townsley (1628-1707), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1688 and was knighted by King William III in 1698.

Another prominent individual was Reverend Joseph Townsley (1739-1816), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Malpas in Cheshire. He published several works on theology and history during his lifetime.

Throughout its history, the Townsley surname has been associated with various notable individuals, including scholars, clergymen, merchants, and landowners, reflecting its widespread presence across different regions of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Townsley

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

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

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

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