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Emsley Family History

Emsley Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): habitational name possibly from Emley (Yorkshire) Elmley (Worcestershire) or Elmsleigh (Gloucestershire). Emley (Yorkshire) is possibly named with an Old English personal name Emma or Old English elm ‘elm-tree’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

The latter two are both named with Old English elm + lēah. Scottish: variant of Emslie.

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


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Where is the Emsley family from?

You can see how Emsley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Emsley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Emsley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 703 Emsley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 73% of all the recorded Emsley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Emsley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Emsley 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 Emsley 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 Emsley. 22% of Emsley men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Emsley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Emsley were Painter and Private Means.

View Census Data for Emsley | 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
    22%
  • Bricklayer
    10%
  • Motor Lorry Driver
    10%
  • Painter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Emsley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Emsley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Emsley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Emsley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Emsley. For the veterans among your Emsley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Emsley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Emsley family history

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What is the average Emsley lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Emsley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Emsley in 1954 was 55, and 90 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Emsley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Emsley 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.

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