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

Wesley, 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 Wesley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wesley in America

Wesley is the 1555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wesley surname appeared 23,135 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Wesley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wesley 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 Wesley

The surname Wesley has its origins in the English county of Dorset, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "wesl" and "leah," meaning "a meadow where the stream turns" or "a meadow by the bend of a river." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a location or settlement near a winding stream or river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wesley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Welleslegh." This entry refers to a place in Somerset, indicating the geographical roots of the surname.

During the 13th century, various spellings of the name emerged, including "Welleslee," "Welesley," and "Wellesley." These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the inconsistencies in spelling practices at that time.

In the 14th century, the name Wesley began to appear more frequently in official records and documents. One notable individual from this period was John Wesley (c. 1310 - c. 1370), a landowner and member of the gentry in Dorset.

The Wesley family continued to hold prominence in the following centuries. Sir William Wesley (c. 1450 - 1510) was a distinguished soldier and diplomat during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He served as Lieutenant of the Tower of London and was knighted for his military services.

The most famous bearer of the Wesley surname is undoubtedly John Wesley (1703 - 1791), the renowned Anglican cleric and theologian who founded the Methodist movement. Born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, he played a pivotal role in the Protestant Reformation and had a profound impact on Christian theology and practices.

Another notable Wesley was Samuel Wesley (1662 - 1735), a poet and writer who served as a minister in the Church of England. He was also the father of John Wesley and Charles Wesley (1707 - 1788), who was a co-founder of the Methodist movement and a prolific hymn writer.

In the realm of literature, William Wesley (1837 - 1914) was a notable English bibliographer and bookseller, known for his expertise in natural history publications.

Throughout its history, the surname Wesley has been associated with various prominent individuals across fields such as religion, literature, and public service, reflecting the name's enduring presence and significance in English society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wesley

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

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

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

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