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

Weatherly, 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 Weatherly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Weatherly in America

Weatherly is the 5064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Weatherly surname appeared 6,926 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Weatherly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Weatherly 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 Weatherly

The surname Weatherly is of English origin, derived from a place name that refers to a location where the weather was particularly prominent or noticeable. It likely emerged during the medieval period, when surnames began to be adopted by families.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Weatherly can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

The name Weatherly is believed to have originated from the Old English words "weder" (weather) and "leah" (meadow or clearing), indicating a location where the weather conditions were notable, such as a clearing or meadow exposed to the elements.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Wetherley in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1273. This variation in spelling, "Wetherley," highlights the evolution of the name over time.

During the 16th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Wetherely, Wetherly, and Weatherly. One notable person from this period was Sir Edward Weatherly (1515-1588), an English landowner and member of Parliament.

In the 18th century, the name Weatherly gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Weatherly (1722-1796), an English clergyman and author. He was known for his work titled "A Defence of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England."

Another well-known figure with the surname Weatherly was Sir Frederick Weatherly (1848-1929), an English lyricist and songwriter. He wrote the lyrics to numerous popular songs, including the famous ballad "Danny Boy."

In the 20th century, Jimmie Weatherly (1925-1998) was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known for writing the hit song "The Midnight Hour," which was recorded by Wilson Pickett and later became a classic in the soul music genre.

While the surname Weatherly is not as common as some other English names, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period and has been associated with notable individuals in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Weatherly

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

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

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

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