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Barkley Family History

Barkley Surname Meaning

English and northern Irish (Antrim): variant of Barclay.

Americanized form of German Berkel or of some other similar (like-sounding) German surname.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Barkley family from?

You can see how Barkley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barkley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barkley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 106 Barkley families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Barkley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Barkley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barkley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Barkley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Barkley. 16% of Barkley men worked as a Builders Labourer and 84% of Barkley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barkley were App Boilermaker and Housewife.

View Census Data for Barkley | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    16%
  • Small Holder
    11%
  • Colliery Hewer
    11%
  • App Boilermaker
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Barkley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 66,000 census records available for the last name Barkley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barkley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Barkley

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Barkley. 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 Barkley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Barkley. For the veterans among your Barkley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barkley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barkley family history

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What is the average Barkley lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Barkley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Barkley in 1950 was 75, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barkley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Barkley ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Barkley family tree

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