Surname Okley - Meaning and Origin
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Okley: What does the surname Okley mean?
The surname Okley is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English "ac", meaning oak, and "leah", meaning wood or clearing. Thus, Okley essentially indicates someone hailing from a place characterized by an 'oak wood' or an 'oak clearing'. It's primarily a topographic surname, given originally to someone dwelling near, or in an oak forest or clearing. Variants of the surname include Oakley, Oakeley, and Ockley. It is important to note that surnames can have multiple origins and the meanings can vary based on the cultural and geographical histories related to it. Therefore, while the aforementioned meaning holds generally true, there might be other interpretations as well.
Order DNA origin analysisOkley: Where does the name Okley come from?
The last name Okley is a fairly uncommon one, and its origin is uncertain. It is believed to be of English origin, though it could have other origins as well. Today, the last name Okley is most commonly found in the United States, with small populations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and elsewhere.
In the United States, the highest concentration of Okley's is found in the state of Indiana, according to census records. Other states with significant Okley populations include Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Michigan.
In the UK, the name Okley is most commonly found in the county of Cheshire, which is located in the northwest corner of England. There are also smaller populations of Okleys in the surrounding counties of Manchester, Wigan, Lancashire, North Staffordshire, and Liverpool.
In Australia, Okley's are most commonly found in the states of Victoria and New South Wales. Both of these states are located in the southeastern part of the country.
The last name Okley is not considered particularly popular, as evidenced by its low frequency on most of the major online surname databases. However, its presence in a number of countries throughout the world indicates that it is still relatively common in some parts.
Variations of the surname Okley
Okley is a patronymic surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin derived from the personal name Okelah, which is most likely an adaptation of a Hebrew name from the Bible or a nickname. The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Okley include Okla, Okell, Ockle, Ockles, Okal, Ockwell, Okall, Ocle, Oklah, Ukel, The patronymic surnames derived from the same origin spellings can be somewhat different. These include Ogle, Ogwell, Ogles, Oglesby, Ocles, Ocklesby, Ockleson, Okell, Ocle, Og, and Oakley. The surname Okley also appears in various combinations such as Oaklea, Okenden, Ockley, Okelly, Ockle, Oakly, Ockles, Ogley, and Okley-Smith. It can occur with a hyphen to indicate dual heritage, for example Ocle-Ryder or Okla-Pearson. The patronymic surname Okley is most likely related to the English surname Oakley which originated from a place name in the county of Bedfordshire meaning “Oak clearing”or a place where Oak trees are found in abundance. It can sometimes be confused with the similar-sounding surname Okeley due to the similar pronunciation. Other variants of this surname include Ockly, Ockloe, Ocklie, Ocklye, Ocky, Ockay, Okau, Okkall, and Ockleman. Similarly, spelling variants include Ockly, Ocklee, Ockel, Okulley, Okyle, Ockele, Ocklea, and Ockley.
Famous people with the name Okley
- Olusegun Okley: An Afrobeat singer, songwriter and guitarist from Nigeria.
- Andrew Okley: An English footballer who plays for Rushden & Diamonds.
- Havard Okley: Actor known for his roles on the Norwegian series "Kampen om Heimbane" and "Tidsreise."
- Louise Okley: a former American basketball player and coach.
- Nathaniel Okley: an American professional lacrosse player.
- Mary Okley: an English author and radio presenter from Image Audio.
- George Okley: a Canadian hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- John Okley: English cricket player who debuted for the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's in July 1836.
- Ron Okley: an American journalist whose career spanned over fifty years in both radio and television outlets.
- Chris Okley: a former disc jockey known for hosting the show "Radio Sketchbook" on XM Satellite Radio.