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Goodley Family History

Goodley Name Meaning

English (eastern): variant of Goodliff from the Middle English personal name Godlif if male from Old English Godlēof if female from Old English Godlēofu. English: alternatively a variant of Godley . Probably also an Americanized form of South German and Swiss German Gütle (or the variants Güttly and Gütler) a status name for a smallholder (see Goodlin ).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Gordley, Gockley, Godley, Girdley, Cooley, Woodley, Gooley, Gorley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Goodley family from?

You can see how Goodley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goodley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goodley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 57 Goodley families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Goodley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Goodley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goodley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Goodley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Railway Clerk and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Goodley. 14% of Goodley men worked as a Railway Clerk and 77% of Goodley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goodley were Farm Labourer Heavy Worker and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Goodley | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Railway Clerk
    14%
  • Horseman On Farm
    14%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Farm Labourer Heavy Worker
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Goodley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Goodley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goodley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Goodley

Passenger Lists

There are 678 immigration records available for the last name Goodley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Goodley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 670 military records available for the last name Goodley. For the veterans among your Goodley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goodley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Goodley family history

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What is the average Goodley lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Goodley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Goodley in 1962 was 65, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goodley

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