Beasley
What is the origin of the last name Beasley?
Meaning and origin
The last name Beasley has an English origin, derived from the village of Beasley in Warwickshire. Over time, the name Beasley evolved and spread through different parts of England, and eventually made its way to different English-speaking countries around the world.
The longer story
Beasley is a surname of English origin. It is derived from a place name in England, specifically from Old English words meaning "bees" and "wood" or "clearing." The name originated as a locational name, indicating that the bearer was from or associated with the place called Beasley.
The earliest documented record of the name Beasley dates back to the 13th century, and it can be found in various spellings such as Beesley, Besley, and Beasly. In historical records, the name appears predominantly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Berkshire in England.
The name is relatively common in the southern United States, particularly in the states of Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. This migration occurred through various waves of immigration and settlement, contributing to the spread of the name across different regions of the country.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
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Beasley was the 732nd most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 47,693 people, about 16 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Beasley
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Beasley is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.