Explore the Family Name Flay
The meaning of Flay
English: nickname from either of two Middle English words: fle(gh) ‘flea’ (Old English flēah) or fli(gh)e ‘fly, winged insect’ (Old English flēoghe). The two Middle English words share a number of spellings and it is hard to separate them.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Flay in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Flay has seen a decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 121,058 with 132 individuals carrying the name. By 2010, the rank dropped to 153,769 and the count decreased to 106, indicating a change of -27.02 in rank and a drop of -19.7 in count. The proportion per 100k also declined by about 20%, moving from 0.05 in 2000 to 0.04 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #121,058 | #153,769 | -27.02% |
| Count | 132 | 106 | -19.7% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Flay
The ethnicity associated with the surname Flay, as per data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has been predominantly white. Between the years 2000 and 2010, the percentage of white individuals bearing this surname increased from 87.88% to 89.62%. During the same period, those identifying as Black saw a decrease from 8.33% to 7.55%. No changes were observed amongst individuals with Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnic identities during these years, with these groups consistently making up 0% of the population with the Flay surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.88% | 89.62% | 1.98% |
| Black | 8.33% | 7.55% | -9.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |