Seeley Surname

27,630th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 19,459 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
United States Virgin Islands

Seeley Surname Definition:

Nick 'the seely,' the simple, the innocent, the harmless; compare Simple. 'Seely = simple, silly' (Halliwell). 'This sely carpenter beginneth quake.'

Chancer, C. T. 3601.

William Sely, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Egidius Sely, Norfolk ibid.

Read More About This Surname

Seeley Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States14,5931:24,8383,121
England1,9741:28,2263,820
Canada1,6821:21,9063,001
Australia5261:51,3236,358
South Africa1791:302,66929,078
New Zealand1001:45,2837,455
Scotland741:72,3495,525
Northern Ireland711:25,9862,864
Wales631:49,1204,600
Dominican Republic391:267,5119,432
Israel361:237,71222,042
United States Virgin Islands121:9,1981,357
Ecuador111:1,445,98617,636
Panama111:355,6607,645
Liberia111:400,77620,681
Russia91:16,013,673414,297
Thailand81:8,829,793476,604
Brazil61:35,679,055486,536
China51:273,464,31313,838
Netherlands51:3,377,435111,911
Switzerland41:2,053,22997,179
Germany41:20,126,365436,245
Japan31:42,614,76459,022
Sweden31:3,282,252190,759
France31:22,140,907385,998
Malaysia21:14,747,112316,340
Hong Kong21:3,667,74211,574
United Arab Emirates21:4,581,13693,443
Ireland11:4,708,93929,543
Sudan11:37,510,19514,259
Bahamas11:391,7512,737
Vietnam11:92,646,0548,382
Algeria11:38,631,551130,422
Spain11:46,752,036156,870
South Korea11:51,240,2568,015
Barbados11:287,4482,772
Belarus11:9,501,059159,228
Qatar11:2,357,99976,403
Puerto Rico11:3,550,1399,109
Norway11:5,142,286129,201
Niger11:19,192,017110,060
Belgium11:11,496,644167,539
Namibia11:2,409,40119,676
Jordan11:8,842,43726,010
Jamaica11:2,869,94713,896
Iraq11:35,021,65431,813
India11:767,065,3821,851,717
Estonia11:1,321,80440,178
Costa Rica11:4,780,06913,345
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland131:340,75912,983
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England9021:27,0243,688
Wales131:120,6475,000
Jersey31:17,2942,528
Guernsey21:16,3281,834
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States3,5501:14,1461,807

Seeley (155) may also be a first name.

Seeley Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Nick 'the seely,' the simple, the innocent, the harmless; compare Simple. 'Seely = simple, silly' (Halliwell). 'This sely carpenter beginneth quake.'

Chancer, C. T. 3601.

William Sely, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Egidius Sely, Norfolk ibid.

John Sely, Gloucestershire, ibid.

Thomas Sely, London, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

(a) Bapt 'the son of Cecil,' from the nick. Sill and pet Sillie; compare Willie, Charlie, &c. (v. Silcock). There can scarcely be the shadow of a doubt as to this being a chief parent of the surname.

Sely atte Bergh, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Sely Percy, Somerset, 1 Edward III: ibid.

Sely Scury, Somerset, 1 Edward III: ibid.

William Sely, Somerset, 1 Edward III: ibid.

1618-0. John Symonds and Anne Seley: Marriage Lic. (London).

1621-2. William Stanmore and Margaret Seely: ibid.

1760. Baptised — William Jeffrey, son of Jeffrey Sealy: St. Peter, Cornhill.

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

(English) Happy, Blessed; Simple (mod. Silly) [Middle English seli, se(e)ly; Old English sǽlig, happy: the corresponding German name is Selig (O.H.Ger. sálig), happy, etc.] John Sely.—Hundred Rolls þor [there] was in helle a sundri stede wor [where] þe seli folc reste dede.—13th-cent. metrical vers. of Gen & Ex., 1986-7.

For sely is that deth, soth for to seyne, That, ofte y- cleped, com’th and endeth peyne !—Chaucer, Troil. & Cris., iv. 503-4.

That Nicholas shal shapen hym a wyle This sely, jalous housbonde to bigyle.— Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 3403-4.

This man lokede opon me, And leet the plough stonden; And seyde, ‘Sely man, Whi syghest thou so harde’?—Piers Plowman’s Creed, 881-4.

The seely man, seeing him ryde so rancke, And ayme at him, fell flat to ground for feare.—Spenser, Faerie Queene, II.iii. 6

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

(English) The happy or prosperous person; the good, simple man.

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

This word, in the forms of sely and silly, occurs in O. English writers from Chaucer to Milton, in the sense of harmless or simple. The word silly, the etymology of which has been debated, is much perverted from its original meaning, and the word ' simple' is now undergoing a similar degradation. 2. Ferguson derives it from Anglo-Saxon sil, prosperous.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Seeley: may possibly hail from Sillé in Sarthe.

Family Names And Their Story (1913) by Sabine Baring-Gould

Seeley Last Name Facts

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

The last name Seeley (Arabic: سيلي) is found most frequently in The United States. It may also be found as:. Click here for other potential spellings of this name.

How Common Is The Last Name Seeley? popularity and diffusion

It is the 27,630th most numerous family name at a global level It is held by around 1 in 374,508 people. The last name Seeley is mostly found in The Americas, where 84 percent of Seeley are found; 83 percent are found in North America and 83 percent are found in Anglo-North America. It is also the 738,219th most frequent forename on earth. It is borne by 155 people.

Seeley is most widely held in The United States, where it is borne by 14,593 people, or 1 in 24,838. In The United States Seeley is mostly concentrated in: New York, where 11 percent are found, California, where 9 percent are found and Michigan, where 6 percent are found. Without taking into account The United States this last name exists in 48 countries. It is also common in England, where 10 percent are found and Canada, where 9 percent are found.

Seeley Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The occurrence of Seeley has changed through the years. In The United States the share of the population with the last name rose 411 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it rose 219 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it rose 485 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it contracted 92 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Seeley Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those carrying the Seeley last name is principally Catholic (100%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Seeley last name are 12.51% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 59.28% being registered with the political party.

The amount Seeley earn in different countries varies markedly. In South Africa they earn 43.18% more than the national average, earning R 340,248 per year; in United States they earn 4.77% more than the national average, earning $45,208 USD per year and in Canada they earn 2.25% more than the national average, earning $50,800 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Sheeley922,651/
Seelley9214/
Seeleye923/
Szeeley922/
Seealey921/
Sceeley921/
Seesley921/
Seeleey920/
Seely9110,740/
Seele913,976/
Seley91861/
Sheesley861,335/
Scheeley8653/
Seeleyii862/
Sheelley861/
Seeleyah861/
Sealey8311,214/
Sheely833,146/
Sheley832,046/
Seelye831,811/
Seeler83994/
Seleya83397/
Seleyi83331/
Sheele83278/
Setley83197/
Sehely83184/
Seiley83162/
Sieley83143/
Sesley83130/
Seelee83104/
Seelie8387/
Seleyo8334/
Seyele8327/
Ceeley8326/
Seleye8325/
Seelae8320/
Seeyle8315/
Sceley8310/
Seleyu838/
Seelay836/
Seelge836/
Szeley836/
Seeles835/
Seelue835/
Sehley834/
Sejele834/
Sceele834/
Sueley833/
Seesle833/
Seelly832/
Zeeley832/
Saeley832/
Seelya832/
Seelle832/
Seleey831/
Seehly831/
Seeluy831/
Seelyh831/
Seyley831/
Jeeley831/
Seyely831/
Seeloe831/
Seuley830/
Seelys830/
Seeliy830/
Seelea830/
Sceely830/
Seelyo830/
Soeley830/
Sele8012,414/
Sely80986/
Scheesley8043/
Scheieley801/
Shelley7730,555/
Scheele779,023/
Sheeler772,055/
Shealey771,537/
Shetley77669/
Cheeley77640/
Settley7799/
Sceeles7756/
Secelle7752/
Scheely7733/
Selieye7732/
Seselle7723/
Scheley7722/
Jeetley7721/
Seeliya7715/
Seasley7710/
Sseelya778/
Sealley777/
Soueley777/
Seyelle776/
Shesley775/
Sheiley775/
Sheelly774/
Sheleey774/
Sehelly774/
Selehyi774/
Seieler773/
Sheleya772/
Seilley772/
Sheesle772/
Szehely772/
Seheler771/
Sajeele771/
Sceehle771/
Sceelle771/
Sayeele771/
Sheelie771/
Sheelye771/
Shejele771/
Seehale771/
Seelyss771/
Seetles771/
Seheele771/
Seileye771/
Seyeles771/
Sheealy771/
Sheehle771/
Shaeley771/
Szeyely771/
Seehler771/
Sheelee771/
Seelees771/
Seleyou771/
Sehelle771/
Setelle771/
Shehely771/
Sseleya771/
Ceheley771/
Seuleya771/
Seetlei771/
Seeleer771/
Sheelya771/
Sheetly770/
Shieley770/
Seuiley770/
Sheyley770/
Sealeye770/
Seettle770/
Seesler770/
Seeleth770/
Seisley770/
Scealey770/
Sheelay770/
Sheelet770/
Seahley770/
Sheeliy770/
Seulley770/
Seetler770/
Siehley770/
Saley73149,328/
Seale7314,034/
Sealy7310,926/
Siele739,270/
Seela737,137/
Seliy734,836/
Soley733,948/
Seles733,087/
Shele732,073/
Seuly731,552/
Geley731,490/
Seeli731,348/
Jeele731,264/
Siley73976/
Szele73933/
Seile73917/
Saele73912/
Selya73878/
Shely73868/
Selei73861/
Selea73775/
Selay73697/
Seleş73609/
Sehly73512/
Selet73443/
Seule73429/
Ceely73417/
Seleh73406/
Selep73339/
Seler73315/
Selee73264/
Setle73225/
Seyle73215/
Seleu73205/
Saely73156/
Celey73145/
Siely73124/
Sehle7390/
Seloy7362/
Zeley7359/
Suele7358/
Soele7351/
Seluy7338/
Jeley7336/
Sesle7327/
Suely7321/
Selez7321/
Séley7320/
Zeele7314/
Szely7313/
Selej739/
Seily738/
Hsele736/
Soely734/
Seled734/
Selhy732/
Xeele732/
Zsely732/
Ceele732/
Selyi732/
Syele732/
Selyo732/
Seleș732/
Zeely731/
Åsele731/
Slehy731/
Ssele731/
Scele731/
Seløy731/
Seyly730/
Scely730/
Sheasley71424/
Cheesley71264/
Scheehle7181/
Sesselle7166/
Sheeller7135/
Sheilley7124/
Schetley7115/
Schoeley7113/
Seelherr717/
Sheatley713/
Sheslley713/
Seyeller712/
Sieleyap712/
Seeliaue712/
Settelle711/
Cheetley711/
Scheelle711/
Scheiely711/
Shettley711/
Sheeslay711/
Shelleya711/
Seheller711/
Setleyii711/
Seeyaleh711/
Sechelle711/
Schieley711/
Seeloyee711/
Cheheley711/
Shelleys711/
Seeahlee711/
Sheusley711/
Seathley710/
Shellley710/
Scheeles710/
Schelhey710/
Shealley710/
Sheehlea710/
Seitelle710/
Sheisley710/
Shealeys710/
Scheesly710/
Seeleich710/
Scheelie710/
Souley67234,961/
Seiler6745,560/
Saelee6718,384/
Shelly6712,789/
Settle6712,738/
Salley679,997/
Sheuly679,303/
Sheela679,188/
Shealy676,170/
Seyler674,715/
Seales674,197/
Zeelie673,602/
Selesh672,633/
Sieler672,438/
Solley672,178/
Seliya671,788/
Sisley671,627/
Soleye671,526/
Selaya671,293/
Sesler671,183/
Szelei671,130/
Shiley671,037/
Sheeli671,006/
Seilay67895/
Saelue67884/
Jetley67655/
Shelge67591/
Shelle67571/
Sealee67560/
Sheule67543/
Seille67526/
Cheley67495/
Saleye67481/
Seatle67464/
Sheleh67438/
Sheler67427/
Shelep67426/
Seleit67400/
Schele67363/
Seuleu67310/
Sawele67297/
Soyele67289/
Seleet67275/
Souely67274/
Zealey67260/
Souele67258/
Getley67247/
Saelea67230/
Cheele67229/
Sehler67226/
Sileye67225/
Szeler67224/
Seitle67198/
Sheile67196/
Seleha67192/
Sauley67190/
Setler67185/
Sholey67173/
Sehale67165/
Soelle67157/
Seella67137/
Ceelie67132/
Sielei67128/
Shiely67115/
Sahley67105/
Saleya67101/
Seasly6798/
Sealer6793/
Selest6793/
Shelae6790/
Selych6790/
Sileya6789/
Seiles6784/
Shaley6783/
Selhay6781/
Selech6779/
Selayi6778/
Geleya6777/
Sileyo6777/
Sileyi6774/
Sejole6772/
Sailey6768/
Seleio6766/
Scealy6762/
Suehle6761/
Seilly6760/
Szeleś6760/
Seleji6758/
Ceiley6756/
Seelau6754/
Shoele6753/
Shelee6753/
Zetley6750/
Selaiy6750/
Seelas6748/
Zeleya6748/
Sayley6748/
Celeya6746/
Seally6744/
Seleje6743/
Seloyi6743/
Gesley6740/
Seyale6740/
Soeloe6739/
Saleey6738/
Sealeu6738/
Sejale6737/
Ssaley6737/
Sceles6736/
Seloya6736/
Seelis6733/
Schely6733/
Seletz6732/
Szeile6731/
Saelae6731/
Saaley6730/
Szeleš6730/
Soehle6729/
Seluya6729/
Cealey6728/
Sehlea6728/
Saeloe6728/
Sheloy6727/
Seelaa6727/
Selets6726/
Sitley6725/
Shetle6725/
Shelya6724/
Seyile6724/
Shiele6723/
Saleyu6723/
Soleya6721/
Jesley6720/
Shhele6720/
Sheily6719/
Suelly6719/
Seulet6719/
Sieles6718/
Zselyi6718/
Seahle6718/
Shelei6718/
Saeloy6717/
Selahy6716/
Seileu6716/
Sowele6716/
Soiley6716/
Sheles6715/
Saelie6715/
Suelle6714/
Seetla6714/
Ceyely6714/
Sealed6714/
Sziele6713/
Shelay6712/
Jeetle6712/
Sesles6712/
Shelyp6712/
Sheale6711/
Schettley6711/
Seylle6711/
Saeleu6711/
Cesley6710/
Seelai6710/
Shaele6710/
Zeelay6710/
Shuely679/
Shelet679/
Selayu679/
Saelle679/
Selejó679/
Saweelaay679/
Seleah678/
Seleja678/
Saleuy678/
Sileey678/
Sielie678/
Siyele678/
Zieley677/
Zeeler677/
Seychelle677/
Sayele677/
Sejleh677/
Soeliy677/
Seyeli677/
Szelep677/
Saelei677/
Setles676/
Seelia676/
Sielee676/
Jeelee676/
Seelat676/
Seully675/
Sejler675/
Scheasley675/
Seylee675/
Seleus675/
Cisley675/
Seilet675/
Soyley675/
Jeleya675/
Saeluy675/
Sejeli675/
Seliyi674/
Sealay674/
Sielay674/
Sealeh674/
Geyley674/
Seleia674/
Sjeela674/
Sielys674/
Sselee674/
Gisley673/
Zeleye673/
Seelli673/
Shoely673/
Seelit673/
Saeleh673/
Sielet673/
Shelie673/
Seilee673/
Sechelles673/
Sseles673/
Saleyh673/
Saleyâ673/
Scelys673/
Selayo673/
Seulee673/
Seiile673/
Selysh673/
Selays673/
Saelay673/
Sealoy673/
Zheley672/
Sheliy672/
Shelhe672/
Shuele672/
Sealet672/
Zesley672/
Saleiy672/
Geleye672/
Seuler672/
Shaely672/
Suelie672/
Shelue672/
Zeelee672/
Sieleh672/
Shelley's672/
Zsaley672/
Szelet672/
Shelej672/
Salhey672/
Shelyh672/
Seleph671/
Suelee671/
Ceelle671/
Ceelye671/
Jehley671/
Jheele671/
Gieley671/
Zeiley671/
Sceela671/
Sciley671/
Soelee671/
Sileyy671/
Silgey671/
Sielge671/
Sielye671/
Shettelly671/
Shehle671/
Sheled671/
Shelez671/
Shelye671/
Seledz671/
Selejh671/
Seless671/
Selesz671/
Selett671/
Seasle671/
Settly671/
Seusselle671/
Selyai671/
Selyap671/
Selyya671/
Seelid671/
Seelii671/
Sehlei671/
Sehles671/
Sehliy671/
Szeale671/
Szelae671/
Szelee671/
Ssyele671/
Saelly671/
Sealle671/
Geleey671/
Sajely671/
Sielea671/
Jeleye671/
Geleys671/
Setleh671/
Seliyo671/
Saiele671/
Zeeles671/
Sysley671/
Hősele671/
Jeeles671/
Jeleyi671/
Jisley671/
Zeyele671/
Setlej671/
Seyselles671/
Seules671/
Seulle671/
Seuela671/
Seuhle671/
Suelyo671/
Shehly671/
Shyele671/
Sieleu671/
Soyely671/
Sale'y671/
Saleyo671/
Saleyã671/
Scelea671/
Scelet671/
Sele'e671/
Selecz671/
Selejo671/
Suyley671/
Djeley671/
Selyia671/
Soeleh671/
Shelleyzz671/
Zeyley671/
Setleu671/
Seleis671/
Xeleya671/
Seeheelya671/
Sehlee671/
Saleee671/
Seslya671/
Seslyi671/
Soelyo671/
Shelyo671/
Sselya671/
Syelly671/
Ceeles671/
Geleyo671/
Sihley670/
Sceale670/
Shelea670/
Seyles670/
Seloyd670/
Hselya670/
Ceeler670/
Seleer670/
Selayd670/
Seeliz670/
Sohley670/
Scheisley670/
Scheehler670/
Seelip670/
Scheetler670/
Sheloe670/
Shyley670/
Sealea670/
Seesla670/
Zehley670/

Seeley Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Seeley in the Arabic language
سيليsyly-

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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 Seeley
  • 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