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

Varley, 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 Varley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Varley in America

Varley is the 14447th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Varley surname appeared 2,068 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 Varley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Varley 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 Varley

The surname Varley has its origins in England and is derived from a place name referring to a geographical location. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "fearn" meaning fern or bracken, and the word "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. Thus, the name Varley likely referred to a fern-covered clearing or meadow.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early recorded instances found in Yorkshire and Lancashire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Ricardus de Farnley, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1230. The name was also recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Fernleia" and "Fernlei."

Over time, the name evolved and took on various spellings, such as Fernley, Farnley, Ferneley, and Verneley, before settling on the modern spelling of Varley. The different spellings were often influenced by regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Varley family became well-established in Yorkshire, particularly in the areas around Leeds and Bradford. Notable individuals from this period include John Varley (1553-1623), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Leeds, and Thomas Varley (1628-1701), a prominent clergyman and author born in Bradford.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Varley name gained prominence in the arts and sciences. John Varley (1778-1842) was a renowned English landscape painter and astrologer, known for his depictions of the English countryside and celestial scenes. His son, John Varley Jr. (1805-1855), followed in his footsteps and became a successful painter in his own right.

Another notable figure was Cornelius Varley (1781-1873), a British artist and inventor who is credited with developing the Graphic Telescope and the Illustrative Warning Parallelogram, used in perspective drawing.

In the field of science, Frederick Wollaston Varley (1835-1913) was a pioneering British chemist and physicist who made significant contributions to the study of molecular structure and the properties of gases.

The Varley name has also been associated with engineering and industry. Samuel Varley (1828-1909) was a prominent English civil engineer who played a key role in the construction of several important railway lines in England and Wales.

While the Varley surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, the name's origins and early history remain firmly rooted in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first emerged as a place name referring to a fern-covered clearing or meadow.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Varley

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

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

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

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