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

Westley, 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 Westley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Westley in America

Westley is the 14076th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Westley surname appeared 2,137 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 Westley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Westley 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 Westley

The surname Westley is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "west" and "leah," meaning a western clearing or meadow. The name most likely originated in areas of England where there were settlements or landmarks situated in western meadows or clearings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Westley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. Several individuals with variations of the name, such as Westle and Westlei, were listed as landowners or tenants in counties like Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name started appearing more frequently in various records and documents. In 1273, a Richard de Westley was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, which were administrative records of landholdings. The "de" prefix indicated that the family was from a specific location called Westley.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Westley. One of the earliest was Sir John Westley (c.1360-1423), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1409 and 1416. Another prominent figure was Thomas Westley (1674-1744), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious works.

In the 18th century, John Westley (1714-1788) was a renowned Methodist minister and the older brother of the renowned evangelist John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of the Methodist movement. John Westley played a crucial role in the early spread of Methodism in England.

During the 19th century, William Westley (1833-1899) was a notable English architect and surveyor responsible for designing several buildings in London, including the Royal Dramatic College and the Belgravia Chapel.

Another individual of note was Sir Benjamin Westley (1865-1938), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the manufacturing company Westley Richards & Co., which produced firearms and sporting goods. He was knighted in 1926 for his contributions to industry and charitable works.

The surname Westley has a long and rich history, originating from a locational description in medieval England and appearing in various historical records. While the name may have evolved in spelling over time, it has been associated with notable figures across different fields, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this surname throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Westley

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

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

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

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