History of your Surname
Get access to Qualey family records.Start a free trial

Qualey Family History

Qualey Name Meaning

Irish: variant of Quealy . Americanized form of Norwegian Kvaløy: habitational name from any of some ten farmsteads so named from kval ‘whale’ + øy ‘island’ (Old Norse Hvaley).

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


Similar surnames: Quale, Qualley, Durley, Buley, Hulley, Gurley, Lumley, Curley, Dudley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Qualey family from?

You can see how Qualey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Qualey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Qualey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 16 Qualey families living in Lancashire. This was about 76% of all the recorded Qualey's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Qualey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Qualey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Qualey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Qualey. 100% of Qualey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Qualey | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Qualey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Qualey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Qualey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Qualey

Passenger Lists

There are 511 immigration records available for the last name Qualey. 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 Qualey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 976 military records available for the last name Qualey. For the veterans among your Qualey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Qualey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Qualey family history

Discover More

What is the average Qualey lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Qualey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Qualey in 1947 was 52, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Qualey

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Qualey family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Qualey last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial