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Kedley Family History

Kedley Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Medley, Kenley, Keeley, Pedley, Hedley, Kerley, Kealey, Nedley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Kedley family from?

You can see how Kedley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kedley family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Kedley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1841 there was 1 Kedley family living in Lanarkshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Kedley's in Scotland. Lanarkshire had the highest population of Kedley families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kedley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1871
  • 1891
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What did your Kedley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kedley. 27% of Kedley men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Kedley women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kedley were Labor and Beautician.

View Census Data for Kedley | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    27%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Labor
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    50%
  • Beautician
    50%

What Kedley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 579 census records available for the last name Kedley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kedley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kedley

Passenger Lists

There are 111 immigration records available for the last name Kedley. 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 Kedley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 72 military records available for the last name Kedley. For the veterans among your Kedley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kedley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kedley family history

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What is the average Kedley lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Kedley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Kedley in 1965 was 66, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kedley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kedley 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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