The Wheatley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,520 people carried this name — #2,875 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 23,600 people counted. That is up 3% from 12,097 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Wheatley surname

An English surname from Old English. Derived from the place name.

From Old English hwǣte (“wheat”) + lēah (“clearing”). Identical to Whatley.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Wheatley» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Whatley’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Peter de Watele, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Whately, Whatley, Wheatley and Wheatly.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 804 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 26 people named Wheatley.

Most of them — 15 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 3 départements, most often Pas-de-Calais.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 15
Pas-de-Calais 9
Charente-Maritime 1
Ille-et-Vilaine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Wheatley was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Durham: 16 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 625. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Durham 16
Nottinghamshire 12

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Wheatley was recorded 17 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1299th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

40 families named Wheatley, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 241 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. 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

Maryland 25
North Carolina 8
Pennsylvania 3
New Hampshire 2
Vermont 1
Rhode Island 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. 268 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Wheatley in American newspapers,
1875–1918.

Newspaper page from The Harlem News carrying the name Wheatley
The Harlem News 1918-01-11
Newspaper page from Helena Weekly Herald carrying the name Wheatley
Helena Weekly Herald 1875-08-19
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Wheatley
Daily Kennebec Journal 1911-01-06

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 91,558 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Wheatley in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

35,420 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wheatley. The most, 6,674, date from the 1930s. New South Wales 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 Western Australia, at 3.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 14,482
Western Australia 9,411
South Australia 3,512
Queensland 3,244
Victoria 2,591
Tasmania 1,660
ACT (Canberra) 407
Northern Territory 33

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

Who carried it

People named Wheatley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert Wheatley d. 1558 · politician
  • Anthony Wheatley d. 1838 · jockey
  • Anthony Wheatley d. 2016
  • Iris Veronica Margaret Corbyn d. 1979
  • Catherine Wheatley d. 1851
  • William Wheatley 1310–1317 · author

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Wheatley,
in the records of 7 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 States1,156 records

1,156 records of the Wheatley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 436
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 172
  • Other U.S. records 548
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William George Wheatley

    Born 1946; from San Francisco, California. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1965 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James L. Wheatley

    Born 1918 in Florida. Enlisted 1942 at New Orleans, Louisiana; upholsterer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1983, buried at Barrancas National Cemetery, Florida.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Sarah Wheatley

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Rome from Liverpool, aged 30; nurse. From London, England.

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

Showing 3 of 1,156 records for Wheatley in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia892 records

892 records of the Wheatley name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 340
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 301
  • Other Australian records 251
  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 Henry Wheatley

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Lyndoch, sailing from London in 1836. Native of Kings Norton, Worcestershire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 Sarah Wheatley

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Tory, sailing from London in 1848. Native of Boston, Lincolnshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 39.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William Wheatley

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Blackheath, aged 45; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 892 records for Wheatley in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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).

Canada120 records

120 records of the Wheatley name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 45
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 26
  • Other Canadian records 49
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Wheatley

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Moravian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Leonard Wheatley

    Killed in 1952 at the MacGregor Mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Arthur Wheatley

    Buried in 1978 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 53.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 120 records for Wheatley in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · 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 Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom47 records

47 records of the Wheatley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 39
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Wheatley

    Buried in 1853 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 55.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Maria Wheatley

    Will proved in 1935; of Cardiff.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Ralph R. Wheatley

    Died 1919. Named in the roll of honour of the Royal High School of Edinburgh (1920).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 47 records for Wheatley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand21 records

21 records of the Wheatley name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Phyllis Violet Wheatley

    Died 1976, aged 69; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Robert Wheatley

    Died 1903, aged 72; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Wheatley

    Died 1954, aged 94; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 21 records for Wheatley in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France6 records

6 records of the Wheatley name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Emile Gustave Arthur Wheatley

    Born 1916 in Calais; died 1976 in Calais (Pas-de-Calais).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Violette Wheatley

    Born 1921 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Fréjus (Var).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Marie Christian Wheatley

    Born 1949 in Calais; died 1997 in Calais (Pas-de-Calais).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Wheatley in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Wheatley name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Arthur Henry Wheatley

    Died 1964 in Overleden op Zee, aged 63.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Anna Gabriella Wheatley

    In the population register of Brixton, England; born 1920 in Brixton, England.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Wheatley in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wheatley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wheatley 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.

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