Charley
Usually a diminutive of Charles, though in some cases it may also come from a place name.
The #7,876 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 73,493 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most surname dictionaries treat Charley as a diminutive or nickname form of the personal name Charles, built on the familiar ending -ey/-y. Charles itself comes through French from Latin Carolus, ultimately associated with the Germanic name Karl, meaning “man” or “free man.” In some records, however, Charley may be confused with or influenced by local place names, so a topographical origin is possible in a few families.
History
Lower explicitly lists Charley as a diminutive of Charles, while Bardsley uses it as a comparison point for other nickname-based surnames. The name has remained uncommon as a surname, and in modern English it is also easily confused with the given name Charlie. Some bearers may descend from regional place-based surnames rather than from the personal name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname is rare, but the same spelling is far more familiar today as a nickname form of Charles.
From the historical record
“byshire. CHARLEY. 1 . A diminutive of Charles. 2. A liberty in co. Leicester. CHARLTON. CHARLETON. Parishes and places in cos. Berks, Gloucester, Kent, Sussex, Wilts, Worcester, Somerset, Nor- thunib., Dorset, kc. kc. The Charltons of Hesleyside descend from Adam, lord of the manor of Charlton in Tyuedale, co. Nor-…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom