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Hedley Family History

Hedley Surname Meaning

Scottish and English (Northumberland and Durham): variant of Headley.

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 Hedley family from?

You can see how Hedley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hedley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hedley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,273 Hedley families living in Northumberland. This was about 39% of all the recorded Hedley's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Hedley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hedley 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 Hedley 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 Hedley. 11% of Hedley men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Hedley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hedley were Retired and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Hedley | 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
    11%
  • Farmer
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Retired
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Hedley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 55,000 census records available for the last name Hedley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hedley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hedley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Hedley. For the veterans among your Hedley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hedley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hedley family history

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What is the average Hedley lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Hedley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Hedley in 1952 was 49, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hedley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hedley 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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