Marley Surname

25,041st
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 21,551 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Guernsey

Marley Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Marley,' now Marley Hill, in the parish of Whickham, near Gateshead. A family of this name were early settled there.

'In 1380 Gilbert de Merley held the vill of Merley,' i.

Read More About This Surname

Marley Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States8,7481:41,4335,082
England3,8601:14,4352,129
Ghana2,4941:10,8341,450
Australia6781:39,8175,155
Malawi6271:27,3034,104
Northern Ireland5061:3,646715
Canada4661:79,0688,865
Egypt4271:215,30615,336
Scotland3541:15,1241,895
Ireland3251:14,4891,665
Israel2821:30,3464,321
Saudi Arabia2781:110,99214,774
Liberia2571:17,1541,764
Tanzania1941:272,89521,498
Fiji1571:5,6971,113
Nigeria1441:1,230,15849,400
Brazil1281:1,672,45654,891
Papua New Guinea1271:64,2028,352
South Africa1161:467,04938,892
Wales1151:26,9092,781
Kenya1061:435,65923,420
New Zealand1031:43,9647,284
Jamaica971:29,5872,210
Honduras891:99,0611,686
France871:763,48093,619
Nicaragua671:89,8671,800
India571:13,457,287231,997
Guernsey511:1,264261
Angola491:550,8002,323
Indonesia481:2,755,192158,430
Dominican Republic391:267,5119,432
Portugal381:274,16410,086
Thailand361:1,962,176235,280
Solomon Islands301:19,3343,744
Estonia271:48,9569,235
Switzerland261:315,88124,844
Norway221:233,74025,571
Mexico201:6,206,31032,158
Spain191:2,460,63358,585
Germany171:4,735,615183,652
Philippines151:6,749,215188,373
Singapore131:423,66918,211
Uganda111:3,549,02589,142
Madagascar91:2,627,7603,802
Mali91:1,885,4481,868
Sudan91:4,167,7995,799
Sweden91:1,094,08481,336
Netherlands81:2,110,89788,902
United Arab Emirates81:1,145,28440,289
Argentina71:6,106,202178,634
Taiwan71:3,349,24920,155
Belgium61:1,916,107103,447
Colombia61:7,962,34523,614
Hong Kong61:1,222,5805,222
Qatar61:393,00055,922
Algeria41:9,657,88864,782
China41:341,830,39216,990
DR Congo41:18,469,892182,906
Iraq41:8,755,41423,373
Malaysia41:7,373,556230,001
Morocco41:8,619,02573,251
New Caledonia41:69,0566,678
Poland41:9,502,187181,606
Senegal41:3,644,8366,064
Sri Lanka41:5,202,14012,146
Cape Verde31:176,5474,737
Finland31:1,832,23457,803
South Korea31:17,080,0852,793
Chile21:8,808,23765,417
Cyprus21:442,4389,493
Isle of Man21:42,9113,686
Italy21:30,578,344160,757
Japan21:63,922,14662,827
Mauritius21:646,70813,517
Trinidad and Tobago21:681,98817,017
Turkey21:38,910,711171,901
Venezuela21:15,102,03869,873
Zimbabwe21:7,719,120118,432
Albania11:2,914,05529,474
Armenia11:2,930,18022,770
Aruba11:103,4772,586
Austria11:8,515,435118,036
Bahamas11:391,7512,737
Botswana11:2,186,92930,250
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
Comoros11:749,524685
Congo11:4,989,09634,171
Costa Rica11:4,780,06913,345
Croatia11:4,228,60499,289
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
Denmark11:5,644,71593,155
Ecuador11:15,905,84650,210
El Salvador11:6,343,8888,415
Ethiopia11:97,546,26229,669
Gibraltar11:33,9541,660
Greece11:11,079,790145,225
Guatemala11:16,082,66812,169
Haiti11:10,683,90724,607
Hungary11:9,816,27773,288
Iceland11:380,09011,096
Iran11:76,782,524277,718
Ivory Coast11:23,071,23276,679
Kuwait11:3,800,69427,187
Kyrgyzstan11:5,972,65499,197
Lebanon11:5,637,08332,436
Lithuania11:3,034,58847,401
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
North Macedonia11:2,101,47231,546
Maldives11:404,1727,269
Moldova11:3,561,36878,271
Montenegro11:639,5659,092
Mozambique11:27,261,5697,432
Panama11:3,912,25817,195
Peru11:31,784,12364,452
Rwanda11:11,364,9785,947
Slovenia11:2,487,67531,128
Suriname11:552,6169,664
Tunisia11:610,62630,336
United States Virgin Islands11:110,3756,934
Zambia11:15,849,92253,989
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland5261:8,4221,266
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1,5611:15,6152,307
Scotland1451:25,8152,343
Wales351:44,8122,341
Guernsey61:5,443949
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1,8311:27,4273,372

The alternate forms: Márley (2) are calculated separately.

Marley (15,519) may also be a first name.

Marley Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Marley,' now Marley Hill, in the parish of Whickham, near Gateshead. A family of this name were early settled there.

'In 1380 Gilbert de Merley held the vill of Merley,' i.e. Marley: History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham.

Adam de Merley, 1201: ibid.

William de Merley, 1339: ibid.

Roger de Merlay, Yorkshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Margareta de Marlay, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Thomas de Marlay, 1379: ibid.

Marley is a well-established surname in County Durham.

1746. Baptised — Mary, d. Joseph Marley: St. James, Clerkenwell.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

(English) Dweller at 1 the Lake-Lea [Old English mere, a lake + leáh (Middle English ley] 2 the Boundary-Lea [Old English mǽere + leáh]

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

? Ó Mearthaile Originally an Oriel name, and still there to some extent, it is now mainly found in Cos.

Donegal and Mayo. Marley as a variant of Marlay is the name of an English family who settled in Co. Longford in 1675. SIF 109

A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

Probably the best known person of the name was Thomas Marley, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, (d. 1756), who was the grandfather of Henry Grattan. The family to which he belonged stemmed from a Newcastle-on-Tyne merchant whose grandson Anthony Marlay acquired property in Co. Longford about 1675. According to Bardsley the name, variously spelt Marley and Marlay, was taken from a place near Gateshead in England.

The great majority of Irish Marleys, however, are of Gaelic Irish descent. Woulfe gives us no information about them. He gives Ó Mearlaigh as the Irish form of the name: I cannot accept his tentative suggestion that it is a corruption of Ó Murghaile and having regard to the early anglicized form Marhelly I think Ó Mearthaile is more likely (I have not met the name in Irish). I have no doubt that there was a distinct sept of O'Marley belonging to Oriel. References thereto are frequent in seventeenth century records, e.g. in the hearth money rolls of Counties Armagh and Monaghan and in the Dowdall Deeds (chiefly Co. Louth); in the “census” of 1659-60 O'Marley is listed as a principal Irish name in Co. Armagh.

It is therefore remarkable that in recent times, in fact since compulsory birth registration was introduced in 1864, the location of people called Marley is almost entirely in the north west of the country; in the 1864 to 1866 registrations there are some around Dundalk, but thirty years later there were none in that area, all being in Counties Donegal and Mayo.

Supplement to Irish Families (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

? Ó Mearthaile Originally an Oriel name, and still there to some extent, it is now mainly found in Cos.

Donegal and Mayo. Marley as a variant of Marlay is the name of an English family who settled in Co. Longford in 1675. SIF 109

A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

(English) One who came from Marley (boundary, or pleasant, wood), ages in Devonshire and Kent.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

An estate in the parish of Battel, Sussex.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

William and Ralph de Merlai, and the fief of M. Normandy, 1180-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Roger de Merlai, Engl. 1189 (Rot. Pip.). The Merlais were barons of Morpeth.

The Norman People (1874)

Marley Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Marley Come From? nationality or country of origin

Marley (Arabic: مارلى) has its highest incidence in The United States. It may be rendered in the variant forms: Márley. For other potential spellings of this name click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Marley? popularity and diffusion

The surname is the 25,041st most frequent surname worldwide, borne by around 1 in 338,153 people. The surname Marley occurs mostly in The Americas, where 43 percent of Marley reside; 41 percent reside in North America and 40 percent reside in Anglo-North America. It is also the 45,313th most widespread given name at a global level, borne by 15,519 people.

The surname is most frequent in The United States, where it is carried by 8,748 people, or 1 in 41,433. In The United States it is most prevalent in: North Carolina, where 13 percent live, California, where 9 percent live and Texas, where 9 percent live. Excluding The United States Marley is found in 119 countries. It is also common in England, where 18 percent live and Ghana, where 12 percent live.

Marley Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The prevalency of Marley has changed through the years. In The United States the number of people who held the Marley surname grew 478 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it grew 247 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it grew 244 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it declined 38 percent between 1901 and 2014 and in Wales it grew 329 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Marley Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those holding the Marley last name is predominantly Catholic (100%) in Ireland and Christian (100%) in Kenya.

In The United States Marley are 19.82% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 66.59% being registered to vote for the political party.

The amount Marley earn in different countries varies significantly. In Norway they earn 0.22% less than the national average, earning 345,313 kr per year; in South Africa they earn 16.32% less than the national average, earning R 198,852 per year; in United States they earn 1.28% more than the national average, earning $43,703 USD per year and in Canada they earn 12.14% more than the national average, earning $55,714 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Márley942/
Marzley9214/
Mairley9214/
Marlley9214/
Mahrley9213/
Mearley924/
Marleys924/
Marleye921/
Marleya921/
Marrley920/
Marleey920/
Marhley920/
Mharley920/
Marle912,117/
Marly911,691/
Marilley86282/
Mahurley861/
Marlieyh861/
Marelley860/
Morley8352,701/
Marler8310,296/
Marles832,217/
Marlet831,315/
Marlay83530/
Merley83514/
Marlie83406/
Mahrle83321/
Marlee83202/
Marlue83154/
Marlya83134/
Marloy8364/
Mairle8364/
Maerle8356/
Mayrle8341/
Marlei8338/
Marloe8337/
Marleh8337/
Marlez8336/
Marlea8333/
Marlhe8326/
Marleu837/
Marliy836/
Marlle836/
Maarle836/
Mearle835/
Marløe835/
Marlly834/
Marhle833/
Marlej832/
Marlye832/
Marled832/
Marrle832/
Maurle831/
Marluy831/
Marlae831/
Marlıe831/
Mearly830/
Marilleyi801/
Marleyová801/
Maruelley801/
Marleeyah801/
Marlowe7710,286/
Marlett771,494/
Marliya77897/
Mahurle77658/
Moorley77478/
Marilly77321/
Marelle77162/
Marloye77135/
Marelly77127/
Mehrley7751/
Marlles7734/
Marille7728/
Marloie7726/
Marleha7725/
Marlaya7724/
Merhley7723/
Marlhes7723/
Maarlie7723/
Maehrle7720/
Maharle7711/
Marless778/
Mourley776/
Mearles776/
Marlyah773/
Marller773/
Marleah772/
Marlych772/
Mairele772/
Marllet772/
Morlley771/
Mairlle771/
Mathrly771/
Maerlie771/
Marleea771/
Marleia771/
Marlesh771/
Marleus771/
Marliye771/
Marrles771/
Merrley771/
Merleya771/
Mhaurle771/
Morliey771/
Moerley771/
Marlleh771/
Marllay771/
Marleis771/
Marleua771/
Marlieh771/
Mearlet771/
Marleej771/
Marleio771/
Marlhae771/
Matrlee771/
Maarlee771/
Marlerr770/
Maerhle770/
Marrlet770/
Morrley770/
Marllie770/
Meurley770/
Marlloy770/
Merle7322,860/
Marla734,801/
Morle732,314/
Marli731,067/
Morly7350/
Marlé7331/
Märle735/
Mörle733/
Marlí731/
Marliyah712,076/
Mariller711,030/
Marillet71313/
Maurille71255/
Mariolle71188/
Marielle71170/
Matrille71126/
Marzelle7190/
Maurelle7152/
Maruelle7124/
Matrelle7120/
Marrlett7112/
Marielly7111/
Maurelly718/
Marliyas717/
Marliyeh716/
Mourleya714/
Marrelle713/
Marilles712/
Mairelle712/
Marzelly712/
Marzille712/
Maharlle711/
Mairliya711/
Mayrelly711/
Matrylle711/
Maarelly711/
Marillie711/
Marleich711/
Marllowe711/
Marlouie711/
Marrelly711/
Morleyii711/
Maurlaye711/
Mariolly711/
Mariëlle711/
Marllaay711/
Margille711/
Mayrelle711/
Marleeha711/
Merilley711/
Meurlley711/
Mairelly711/
Marelles711/
Marrille710/
Marllett710/
Marlia675,693/
Morlet675,331/
Morles675,075/
Möhrle672,242/
Marlis671,129/
Morlue67525/
Morloy67432/
Mehrle67413/
Marlah67252/
Mörler67251/
Mährle67248/
Marlas67212/
Merlhe67168/
Mahrla67141/
Merlie67130/
Mohrle67129/
Morlay67107/
Marlat67106/
Marlio6799/
Marlai6787/
Marlla6773/
Merlay6766/
Maarla6761/
Maerli6759/
Meurle6759/
Marlou6756/
Morlez6754/
Maurellet6744/
Morlee6744/
Marlau6734/
Maharlooy6731/
Morlie6729/
Marlih6727/
Marlui6723/
Maharlouy6718/
Meirle6716/
Morler6714/
Morlae6711/
Moerle6710/
Mgarla679/
Merlej678/
Moirle678/
Mourle678/
Marlit678/
Merlee678/
Morlle677/
Marlli677/
Maurelles677/
Merlea676/
Moorly675/
Mairla675/
Marrillet675/
Meirly675/
Marliz674/
Merlle674/
Marloi674/
Marlès674/
Marlés674/
Maurielle674/
Morleu673/
Mairelles673/
Mourly673/
Marzli673/
Merrle672/
Marrla672/
Maerla672/
Masrla672/
Maurli672/
Marlaz672/
Morlei672/
Moorle672/
Morlya671/
Maurla671/
Marlad671/
Marloa671/
Marloj671/
Merhle671/
Merlei671/
Morluy671/
Mmarli671/
Moerly671/
Márlei671/
Marzły671/
Matrillet671/
Mariellie671/
Marrielle671/
Maharloue671/
Morrelley671/
Merleh671/
Merloy671/
Máhrle671/
Marilliea671/
Mayrelles671/
Mayrli671/
Maarli671/
Marriller670/
Mehrly670/
Meerle670/
Morlly670/
Merluy670/
Morhle670/

Marley Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Marley in the Arabic language
مارلىmarly-
مرلىmrly-
مرليmrly-
مارليmarly-

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Marley Reference & Research

Morley FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Marley
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis