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

Yeley, 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 Yeley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yeley in America

Yeley is the 52619th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yeley surname appeared 394 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 Yeley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yeley 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 Yeley

The surname Yeley likely has its origins in England, with the earliest records pointing towards the medieval period. The name may derive from a geographical location or a family that was prominent in a particular area. The old English words or similar spellings such as "Ea" (river) and "leah" (wood or clearing) possibly influenced its formation, suggesting "a clearing by the river." This etymological structure hints at the surname originating from a place name within the British Isles.

Historical records do not provide abundant information about the Yeley surname, but some references do exist. Despite not being listed in prominent documents like the Domesday Book, the name appears in various local records throughout England. The geographic distribution of the name seems to align with regions known for their rivers and clearings, particularly in counties like Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Yeley dates back to the late 13th century. A Richard de Yeley appears in a 1290 land deed in the county of Derbyshire. The identification of "de" in his name indicates that Yeley may have been a place from which Richard hailed, further reinforcing the geographic origin theory.

Several spellings have been recorded over the centuries, including Yelley and Yealie, reflecting regional dialects and transcription variations by scribes. Specific place names have also evolved, but likely candidates for the origins include Yelverton in Devon or low-lying areas near rivers that might have been locally known as "Yeley."

Five notable individuals with the Yeley surname span different periods and regions. One of the earliest is Thomas Yeley, a yeoman listed in tax records from 1524 in Warwickshire. Another significant figure is John Yeley, born in 1652, who was a landowner in Shropshire and involved in local governance.

Moving into more modern history, we find Samuel Yeley, born in 1785, who emigrated to the United States and settled in Indiana, contributing significantly to the development of his local community. Ellis Yeley, born in 1863, served as a prominent civic leader and industrialist in the Northern England town of Lancashire. The most contemporary historical figure is Joe Yeley, born in 1921, a respected educator and historian contributing extensively to the study of regional history in West Midlands.

Through these individuals and records, it is clear that the surname Yeley has roots extending back centuries, with its geographic and linguistic origins providing a significant clue to its bearer's historical movements and social status.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yeley

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

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

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

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