2000
#48,196
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 412
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.15
Very Rare Last name
Kearsley
A locational surname derived from Kearsley, a place in Lancashire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 575 Americans carry the last name Kearsley. That puts it at #45,922 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 596,095 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kearsley 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Kearsley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
575
1 in 596,095
Census rank
#45,922
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
501
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 501 bearers of the surname Kearsley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 45922nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kearsley, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.2%) and Black (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kearsley
The surname KEARSLEY is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages in the northwestern region of England. The name is believed to have derived from the place name "Keardsley" or "Kearsley," which was a township in Lancashire. This place name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "cærf" or "cærr," meaning "rock," and "leah," meaning "woodland clearing."
The earliest known record of the surname KEARSLEY can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from the late 12th century, where it was spelled "Kerdislegh." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time. In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire as "Kerdesleye" and "Keresleye."
One notable early bearer of the KEARSLEY surname was John de Kearsley, who was mentioned in the Placita de Quo Warranto records of 1292-1293. These records were inquiries into the legal rights and privileges claimed by individuals and institutions during the reign of King Edward I.
In the 16th century, the KEARSLEY surname was associated with the Kearsley family, who resided in the township of the same name in Lancashire. This family held significant influence and landholdings in the area. One prominent member was Thomas Kearsley, born in 1558, who served as a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the KEARSLEY surname was Lieutenant-Colonel John Kearsley. He fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was killed in action at the Battle of Wigan Lane in 1651.
Another notable bearer of the KEARSLEY name was Jonathan Kearsley, born in 1699 in Lancashire. He was a merchant and colonial agent who emigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the early 18th century. Kearsley became a prominent figure in the colonial society and served as a member of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania.
In the 19th century, the KEARSLEY surname was associated with several notable individuals, including George Kearsley, born in 1800 in Lancashire. He was a respected engineer and played a significant role in the development of early railways in Britain.
Throughout its history, the KEARSLEY surname has maintained a strong connection to its origins in Lancashire, England. While the name has been carried by individuals across various professions and locations, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period and the township that likely inspired its creation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kearsley
Among Census respondents with the surname Kearsley, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.2%) and Black (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Kearsley 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 Kearsley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.8% · 425
- Two or more races6.2% · 31
- Black or African American4.4% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kearsley
Kearsley 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
#45,653
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 468
+56 bearers (+13.6%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 2,543 places
2020
#45,922
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 501
+33 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Down 269 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #48,196 | 412 | 0.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #45,653 | 468 | 0.16 | +56 bearers (+13.6%) | Up 2,543 places |
| 2020 | #45,922 | 501 | 0.17 | +33 bearers (+7.1%) | Down 269 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 Kearsley 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 | #45,653 | #45,922 | -0.6% |
| Count | 468 | 501 | 7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.16 | 0.17 | 4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kearsley bearers went from 468 to 501 (+7.1% change). The surname moved down 269 positions in the national ranking, going from #45,653 to #45,922.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Kearsley
FAQ
Kearsley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kearsley?
Name Census estimates that about 575 living Americans carry the surname Kearsley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 596,095 residents.
How common is Kearsley?
Kearsley ranks #45,922 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 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 501 people with the surname Kearsley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (575), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 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 Kearsley.
Has Kearsley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kearsley went from 468 recorded bearers to 501. That is an increase of 33 (+7.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #45,653 to #45,922.
What does the Census say about the background of Kearsley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kearsley, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.2%) and Black (4.4%). 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 Kearsley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.8% (425 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kearsley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.8%), Two or More Races (6.2%), Black (4.4%). 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 Kearsley (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 Kearsley mean?
A locational surname derived from Kearsley, a place in Lancashire, 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 Kearsley (0.17 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 Kearsley?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.