Explore the Family Name Gulley
The meaning of Gulley
English (Devon): descriptive nickname for a giant or a large man, from Middle English golias ‘giant’, from the Hebrew personal name Golyat Goliath. There is unlikely to be any connection with the English vocabulary word gully (from Old French goulet ‘neck of a bottle’), which is not attested in this sense before the 17th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gulley in the United States?
According to the data culled from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Gulley has seen some fluctuation in its popularity over the years. In 2000, it ranked 3293 among all surnames, but by 2010, it had slipped slightly to 3366, marking a modest change of -2.22%. Meanwhile, the total count of individuals with this surname increased by 6.2%, from 9986 in 2000 to 10605 in 2010. This resulted in a slight dip in the proportion per 100k people, from 3.7 in 2000 to 3.6 in 2010, indicating -2.7% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,293 | #3,366 | -2.22% |
| Count | 9,986 | 10,605 | 6.2% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.7 | 3.6 | -2.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gulley
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the Gulley surname based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there have been some shifts between 2000 and 2010. While those identifying as White decreased by -4.34%, from 60.39% to 57.77%, the percentage of individuals identifying as Black increased by 3.73%, from 35.68% to 37.01%. The Hispanic ethnicity also saw a substantial increase of 58.59%, rising from 1.28% to 2.03%. Smaller changes were observed for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (30.77% increase) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (6.52% increase). Lastly, the count of those who identify with two or more races increased by 23.44%, from 1.92% to 2.37%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 60.39% | 57.77% | -4.34% |
| Black | 35.68% | 37.01% | 3.73% |
| Two or More Races | 1.92% | 2.37% | 23.44% |
| Hispanic | 1.28% | 2.03% | 58.59% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.46% | 0.49% | 6.52% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.26% | 0.34% | 30.77% |
Gulley ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Gulley is British & Irish, which comprises 56.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.4%) and Nigerian (4.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Italian.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.2% |
| French & German | 20.4% |
| Nigerian | 4.9% |
| Other | 18.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Gulley
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Gulley have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
What Gulley haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Gulley is I-CTS6433, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-CTS6433 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Cato, Lockett, Krieg, Robb, Rahn, Boatman, Roop, Wales, Hurt, Barfield.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gulley surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Gulley have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Gulley" Surname 41.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Gulley" Surname 31.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gulley" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Gulley" Surname 19.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gulley?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Gulley are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition