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

Watley, 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 Watley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Watley in America

Watley is the 13002nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Watley surname appeared 2,361 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 Watley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Watley 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 Watley

The surname Watley has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from an Old English place name, possibly referring to a waterly or marshy area. One theory suggests that it may have evolved from the Old English words "waet" meaning wet and "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow, thus indicating a wet meadow or marshy area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1273, a John de Wateley is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating that the name was already established by that time. Similar spellings such as Watleigh, Watleye, and Watteley are also found in various medieval records.

While the name does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, it is likely that it originated from a location or settlement that existed during that period or shortly after. Some historians have suggested that the name may be connected to the village of Watley in Northamptonshire, which could have given rise to the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Watley. One of the earliest recorded was John Watley (c. 1450-1520), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Leicestershire. Another prominent figure was Sir Robert Watley (1572-1638), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire during the reign of King Charles I.

In the 18th century, Thomas Watley (1720-1786) was a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Bedfordshire, known for his innovative timepiece designs. Additionally, William Watley (1772-1845) was a prominent author and poet from Warwickshire, who published several works during the Romantic era.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname was Sir Edward Watley (1819-1887), a successful businessman and philanthropist from London. He made significant contributions to various charitable causes and was knighted for his services to the community.

These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the surname Watley throughout history, demonstrating its enduring presence and significance within the English cultural landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Watley

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

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

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

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