Meaning and origin
The last name Cooley is of Irish and Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "coillte" meaning "woods” or "forest". It is likely that the name originated as a locational surname for individuals living near a wooded area. Over time, variant spellings and pronunciations have emerged, but the name's etymology remains rooted in the connection to woodlands.
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.
#1,054
Cooley was the 1,054th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 33,231 people, about 11 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Cooley
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Cooley 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.