Beasley

Beasley is an English surname of locational origin, derived from a place in Lancashire. The name comes from Old English elements beos meaning "bent grass" and leah meaning "woodland, clearing". Thus, it originally referred to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing where bent grass grew. Beasley is a variant of the surname Beesley, which shares the same etymology.

The surname Beasley is particularly common in the United States, where it ranked as the 732nd most common surname according to the 2010 United States Census, with 47,693 individuals bearing the name. The demographics show that the surname is most common among those identifying as White (67.02%) and Black or African American (27.62%).

Notable individuals with the surname Beasley include American basketball player Michael Beasley, English footballer Jamie Beasley, and R&B singer Steve Beasley. The name also appears in several place names in the United States and Canada, including a city in Texas, an unincorporated community in Tennessee, and a neighborhood of Hamilton, Ontario.

Due to its Old English roots, Beasley forms part of a broader tradition of place‑derived surnames that describe topographical features, such as meadows or clearings, which were common in medieval England.

• Meaning: Bent grass clearing
• Origin: English (Lancashire)
• Type: Locational surname
• Usage regions: England, United States, Canada