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

Turley, 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 Turley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Turley in America

Turley is the 3398th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Turley surname appeared 10,524 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Turley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Turley 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 Turley

The surname Turley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "tur" meaning a tower or fortified building, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, likely referring to someone who resided near a fortified tower or in a clearing surrounded by woods.

One of the earliest known records of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Turlai" in the county of Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, variations of the name included spellings such as Turley, Turlay, and Turleigh. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Turley, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 during the Hundred Years' War. Records also show a William Turley who was a member of the Guild of Weavers in the city of London in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Turley appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, with several references to place names such as Turley's Green and Turley's Farm.

One of the most prominent figures in history with the surname Turley was Sir Richard Turley (1532-1593), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his role in negotiations with Spain and the Netherlands.

Another notable Turley was William Turley (1684-1746), a renowned English architect who designed several churches and country houses in the Baroque style, including St. John's Church in Leeds and Turley Manor in Oxfordshire.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Turley family continued to maintain a presence in various parts of England, with several members achieving recognition in fields such as academia, law, and the military. For instance, John Turley (1769-1842) was a respected scholar and author of several works on classical literature, while Henry Turley (1802-1879) served as a distinguished officer in the British Army and participated in the Napoleonic Wars.

As the centuries progressed, the Turley name spread beyond England, with many members of the family emigrating to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Nonetheless, the surname retains its English origins and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Turley

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

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

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

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