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

Vesey, 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 Vesey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vesey in America

Vesey is the 20434th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vesey surname appeared 1,300 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Vesey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vesey 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 Vesey

The surname Vesey has its origins in Normandy, France, and dates back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "voisie" or "veisie," which meant "neighbor" or "vicinity." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive surname given to someone who lived near a particular landmark or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vesey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Veisiaco," indicating that it was likely a place of origin for the bearer.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various forms, such as Vesci, Vessey, Veisy, and Veysey. These variations reflect the different pronunciations and regional dialects of the time.

In the 13th century, a notable member of the Vesey family was William de Vesci (c. 1245-1297), an English nobleman and Baron of Alnwick in Northumberland. He played a significant role in the conflicts between King Henry III and the barons.

Another prominent figure was John Vesey (c. 1462-1554), who served as the Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland from 1518 until his death. He was known for his efforts to reform the Irish Church and for his involvement in the political affairs of the time.

In the 17th century, Denny Muschamp Vesey (1638-1719) was an English churchman who became the Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora in Ireland. He was noted for his charitable works and contributions to educational institutions.

The Vesey family also had a presence in colonial America. The Reverend William Vesey (1674-1746) was an Anglican minister who served as the first rector of Trinity Church in New York City, a position he held for nearly 50 years.

During the American Revolution, Josiah Vesey (1712-1780) was a merchant and planter in South Carolina. He was a prominent Loyalist and served as a lieutenant colonel in the British militia.

These are just a few examples of the historical figures who carried the surname Vesey. The name has been found in various regions, including England, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States, reflecting the widespread migration and establishment of families bearing this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vesey

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

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

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

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