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

Wackerly, 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 Wackerly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wackerly in America

Wackerly is the 63218th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wackerly surname appeared 316 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 Wackerly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wackerly 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 Wackerly

The surname Wackerly is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period in England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "wacor," meaning "watchful" or "vigilant," and "leah," meaning "a woodland clearing or meadow." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in or near a meadow or clearing and was known for their watchfulness or vigilance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wackerly can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Wacorleah." This entry suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century and may have been associated with a specific location or landholding.

During the Middle Ages, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as "Wackerley," "Wackerleigh," and "Wackerlee." These variations likely reflected regional dialects and the evolving nature of English orthography during this period.

In the 16th century, records show a John Wackerly residing in the village of Warkworth, Northumberland. This John Wackerly is believed to be one of the earliest known individuals to bear the name in its modern spelling.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Wackerly, including:

1. Sir Robert Wackerly (1612-1678), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London during the reign of Charles II.
2. Elizabeth Wackerly (1725-1802), a renowned English botanist and illustrator, known for her intricate drawings of flora found in the countryside around Warwickshire.
3. William Wackerly (1790-1868), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement.
4. Sarah Wackerly (1823-1897), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who established several schools for girls in New England during the mid-19th century.
5. Henry Wackerly (1875-1942), a Canadian architect renowned for his work in the Arts and Crafts style, with many of his buildings still standing in Ontario and Quebec.

While the surname Wackerly is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, its long history and distinctive origins have contributed to its enduring presence, especially in regions with strong Anglo-Saxon heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wackerly

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

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

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

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