Explore the Family Name Powley
The meaning of Powley
1. English (mainly Norfolk): perhaps a shortened form of Powling, either a nickname for someone with a distinctive head or hair or who had a shaved head (from an unrecorded Middle English polling, a derivative of Middle English polle ‘head, hair of the head’ or pollen ‘to cut (hair), shave (someone’s head)’ + the noun-forming suffix -ing); or a habitational name from Poling in Sussex; or a variant of Pullan and Pullen. 2. Probably an altered form of German Pauli or Pauly.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Powley in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Powley saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Powley ranked as the 20,854th most popular surname, falling to 22,246th by 2010, reflecting a 6.67% drop. The total count of individuals with this surname also declined marginally from 1,177 to 1,159, a -1.53% change. The proportion of Powley per 100k people decreased by 11.36%, from 0.44 to 0.39.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,854 | #22,246 | -6.67% |
| Count | 1,177 | 1,159 | -1.53% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.44 | 0.39 | -11.36% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Powley
Turning to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows notable shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Powley. Between 2000 and 2010, the Hispanic representation under the surname Powley grew by 36.22%, while those identifying as two or more races increased dramatically by 206.78%. During the same period, there was a slight increase in the percentage of Powleys identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, up by 14.71%. Conversely, White representation fell by 2.55%. The data also shows new representation for Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities within the Powley surname in 2010, which were not present in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.86% | 94.39% | -2.55% |
| Two or More Races | 0.59% | 1.81% | 206.78% |
| Hispanic | 1.27% | 1.73% | 36.22% |
| Black | 0% | 0.86% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.68% | 0.78% | 14.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.43% | 0% |