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

Winsley, 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 Winsley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Winsley in America

Winsley is the 84463rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Winsley surname appeared 222 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Winsley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Winsley 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 Winsley

The surname Winsley is of English origin, first appearing in the historical records of the United Kingdom. The earliest roots of Winsley can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, roughly around the 8th to 11th centuries. Derived from a combination of Old English words, the surname Winsley likely originates from the words "wine," meaning friend, and "leah," meaning clearing or meadow. Thus, Winsley can be interpreted to mean "friend's clearing" or "friend's meadow."

Geographically, Winsley is associated with specific areas in England, particularly in the counties of Wiltshire and Herefordshire. One of the earliest references to a place named Winsley can be found in Wiltshire, listed as Wineslege in the Domesday Book of 1086. This historical record, which was commissioned by William the Conqueror, is among the first documents where the name Winsley appears in a written form.

The surname Winsley begins appearing in written records from the late medieval period. In 1327, a man named John de Winesleye is documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset. These rolls were essentially tax records, indicating that John de Winesleye was a person of some means. This example reflects the earliest forms of the surname and its variant spellings.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Winsley. Thomas Winsley (1564-1624), a clergyman in the Church of England, served as a rector in the early 17th century. Another noteworthy figure is Richard Winsley (born 1723), a merchant who played a significant role in the trade between England and the American colonies during the 18th century.

During the 19th century, the name can be seen in the world of literature. Mary Winsley (1787-1845) was an English poet whose works were celebrated for their emotional depth and exploration of rural life. Additionally, Samuel Winsley (1802-1873) made a name for himself in the field of engineering, contributing to several significant infrastructure projects during the Victorian era.

In more recent historical contexts, Henry Winsley (1850-1909) was a prominent figure in British politics, serving as a Member of Parliament for a constituency in the West Midlands. His contributions to social policy and education reform were particularly noteworthy.

The various mentions of the surname Winsley across different periods demonstrate its enduring presence in English history. Its origin as a surname connected to a specific locale provides insight into the lifestyle and occupations of its early bearers. Over time, the Winsley name has been associated with significant contributions to religion, commerce, literature, engineering, and politics, highlighting the diverse paths taken by individuals bearing this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Winsley

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

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

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

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