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

Windley, 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 Windley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Windley in America

Windley is the 17541st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Windley surname appeared 1,604 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 Windley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Windley 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 Windley

The surname Windley is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It has roots in the counties of Derbyshire and Yorkshire. The name is believed to derive from a combination of the Old English words "wind" (meaning "wind") and "leah" (meaning "clearing" or "meadow"). This suggests that the surname originally referred to someone who lived in or near a windy clearing.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Windley can be found in the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the earliest mentions in historical records is found in the Close Rolls, where a reference to Geoffrey de Windley in 1230 demonstrates early use. This indicates that the name was well-established in England by this time. Variants of the name include Wyndley and Windeleigh, often seen in old records and manuscripts.

One notable historical figure with the surname Windley is Agnes Windley, who was documented in Norfolk's ancient records around the year 1379 during the Poll Tax Register. Another early bearer of the surname, Robert Windley, is mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax returns of 1379, further illustrating the spread of the name.

The name Windley has also been associated with place names. Windley in Derbyshire is a small village, whose name is likely the origin of the surname. Historical spellings of the village include Wendlege in the Domesday Book of 1086, indicating its longstanding presence in the region.

In the 16th century, William Windley (born 1565, died 1623) of Norfolk emerges as a prominent individual, known for his involvement in local governance and his contributions to parish records. Another significant figure, John Windley (born 1640, died 1705), is linked to the early industrial activities in Yorkshire, particularly in woolen manufacturing.

The surname continued to be prominent in various professions. Edward Windley (born 1783, died 1852) was a noted figure during the early 19th century, known for his work as a cartographer and surveyor. An influential person carrying this surname in the academic field was Dr. Samuel Windley (born 1810, died 1890), who was a distinguished medical practitioner and scholar in London.

Windley remains a surname with deep historical roots, rich with associations to England's medieval and early modern periods, borne by individuals who contributed to their communities in various notable ways.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Windley

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

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

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

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