This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Bly family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Bly Family History

Bly Surname Meaning

English (Norfolk and Suffolk): variant of Bligh. Americanized form of German Blei ‘lead’ or of its cognate Bley. Americanized and Flemish form of Dutch Blij ‘merry, gay, happy’ (see Blei). Compare Bley.

Swedish: of German origin (see 2 above) or a soldier's name. Americanized form of Norwegian Bleie: habitational name from a farmstead in Hardanger named Bleie from a river name from Old Norse bleikr ‘gray, pale’ + vin ‘meadow’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bly family from?

You can see how Bly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bly families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 44 Bly families living in Norfolk. This was about 20% of all the recorded Bly's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Bly families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bly surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Bly ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bly. 34% of Bly men worked as a General Labourer and 88% of Bly women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bly were Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duti.

View Census Data for Bly | 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

  • General Labourer
    34%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    12%
  • Police Constable
    12%
  • Farm Labourer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    88%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Childrens Nurse
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%

What Bly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 30,000 census records available for the last name Bly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bly

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bly. 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 Bly immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Bly. For the veterans among your Bly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bly military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bly family history

Discover More

What is the average Bly lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Bly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Bly in 1946 was 37, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bly

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bly 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 Bly family tree

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