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

Wakley, 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 Wakley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wakley in America

Wakley is the 52037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wakley surname appeared 399 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 Wakley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wakley 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 Wakley

The surname Wakley traces its origins to England, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "wac" or "wacu," which means "watch" or "watchman." This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who performed guard duty or served as a watchman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, where it is listed as "Wachelinus de Sutton." The suffix "de Sutton" indicates that this individual was from the town of Sutton, suggesting a connection between the name and a specific location.

The Wakley surname is also mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, an important record of landowners and their estates in England during the reign of King Edward I. This document includes references to individuals such as Walterus Wakeleyn and Johannes Wacelyn, demonstrating the variations in spelling that were common during that era.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it is recorded as "Wakeleye." This variation highlights the influence of regional dialects and pronunciations on the spelling of surnames.

Among notable individuals with the Wakley surname, one of the earliest was John Wakley (c. 1498-1560), an English churchman who served as the Bishop of Gloucester from 1541 until his death. Another prominent figure was Thomas Wakley (1795-1862), a renowned English surgeon and founder of the medical journal The Lancet.

Other individuals of note include George Wakley (1759-1841), an English painter and engraver; William Wakley (1801-1875), a British politician and journalist; and Edward Wakley (1831-1908), an English architect who designed numerous buildings in London.

The Wakley surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Wakeley Hill in Worcestershire and Wakeley Farm in Oxfordshire, further reinforcing its connection to specific geographical locations in England.

Overall, the surname Wakley has a rich history deeply rooted in medieval England, with its origins linked to the concept of watchmen or guardians and its variations reflecting the linguistic and regional diversity of the time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wakley

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

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

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

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