2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yaley
An English locational surname referring to someone from Yale, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Yaley. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yaley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Yaley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yaley, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yaley
The surname Yaley is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest roots tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon period. The name likely derives from a topographical feature or a place name, possibly associated with an area characterized by a wooded or hilly terrain. Old English elements such as 'gealh' (meaning a nook or recess) or 'geat' (meaning a gate or an opening) may have influenced the early formations of the name.
Early references to similar surnames can be found in medieval English records. For instance, the Domesday Book, completed in 1086, lists various old English place names that bear linguistic resemblance to Yaley, such as Ealing or Ely, suggesting a possible connection. The spelling of surnames was not standardized until much later, so variations such as Yaley, Yalley, Yale, and Yealey could have been used interchangeably.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname dates back to the 13th century, with a William Yaley mentioned in the Sussex Rolls of 1273. Another early bearer is Richard de Yale, listed in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273. These records indicate that the surname was present in various parts of England and may have been associated with local land features or settlements.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Yaley. Sir David Yaley (1584-1652) was a prominent figure during the English Civil War, known for his loyalty to the Crown and his role in local governance in Herefordshire. Another significant individual was Thomas Yaley, a 17th-century merchant who accumulated considerable wealth through trade and was influential in the commercial life of London.
In the 18th century, Dr. Samuel Yaley (1702-1778) gained recognition as a physician and scholar, contributing to medical knowledge with his works on anatomy and public health. Similarly, in the 19th century, Captain James Yaley (1803-1886) became a celebrated naval officer, known for his explorations and mapping of the West Indies.
The surname Yaley has a rich historical context, with roots deep in English topographical history and numerous variations in spelling that reflect its evolution over centuries. Through records and notable bearers, the name has maintained a presence in historical documents, illustrating its longstanding heritage and influence.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yaley
Among Census respondents with the surname Yaley, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Yaley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Yaley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 93
- Two or more races5.1% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yaley
Yaley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-13 bearers (-10.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,185 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-8 bearers (-7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,377 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.8%) | Down 22,185 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -8 bearers (-7.5%) | Down 3,377 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Yaley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #156,005 | -2.2% |
| Count | 107 | 99 | -7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yaley bearers went from 107 to 99 (-7.5% change). The surname moved down 3,377 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #156,005.
FAQ
Yaley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yaley?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Yaley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Yaley?
Yaley ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 99 people with the surname Yaley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Yaley.
Has Yaley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yaley went from 107 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 8 (-7.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Yaley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yaley, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Yaley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yaley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Two or More Races (5.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Yaley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Yaley mean?
An English locational surname referring to someone from Yale, England. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Yaley (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Yaley?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.