The Motley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 10,274 people carried this name — #3,480 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 28,700 people counted. That is up 3% from 9,966 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Motley surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Motley’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 542 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

18 families named Motley, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 107 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 7
North Carolina 6
Maine 3
Massachusetts 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 254 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Motley in American newspapers,
1858.

Newspaper page from Clarksville Chronicle carrying the name Motley
Clarksville Chronicle 1858-08-20
Newspaper page from Clarksville Chronicle carrying the name Motley
Clarksville Chronicle 1858-09-10
Newspaper page from Clarksville Chronicle carrying the name Motley
Clarksville Chronicle 1858-07-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,826 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Motley in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

7,095 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Motley. The most, 1,055, date from the 1920s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 2,374
New South Wales 1,608
South Australia 1,306
Queensland 1,214
Tasmania 363
Western Australia 205
ACT (Canberra) 13
Northern Territory 8

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Motley.

Who carried it

People named Motley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Motley
    Thomas Motley 1781–1864
  • John Lothrop Motley
    John Lothrop Motley 1814–1877 · writer
  • Archibald Motley
    Archibald Motley 1891–1981 · painter
  • Thomas Motley 1812–1895
  • Edward Motley 1816–1894
  • James Motley 1822–1859 · naturalist

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Motley,
in the records of 4 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States649 records

649 records of the Motley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 331
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 164
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 76
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 38
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 17
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 14
  • U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War 3
  • Riverside Cemetery, Asheville (North Carolina) 2
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 2
  • U.S. service members who died in the Korean War 2
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ralph W. Motley

    Born 1919 in Colorado. Enlisted 1942 at Denver; route man from Denver County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1979, buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Colorado.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Paul William Motley

    Born 1945; from Idalou, Texas. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Dinh Tuong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Kate Motley

    Arrived at New York in 1859 aboard the Belle Wood from Liverpool, aged 20; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 649 records for Motley in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia54 records

54 records of the Motley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 29
  • Tasmanian Names Index 13
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 10
  • NSW convict, estate and railway indexes 1
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 1
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Christopher Motley

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Anne & Amelia, arriving 1825; certificate of freedom 1831.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Fredk A. Motley

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Schomberg, aged 5; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Emma Motley

    Of Balwyn, Victoria; died 1962.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 54 records for Motley in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada9 records

9 records of the Motley name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 3
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Amy Motley

    Buried in 1977 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 83.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Ernest James Motley

    Died 1940; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Francis Motley

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 9 records for Motley in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Motley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 6
  • Stirling Council burial records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Ann Motley

    Died 1944, aged 63; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. Motley

    South Staffordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. W. Motley

    Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Motley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Motley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Motley is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Motley volume
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