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Leary Family History

Leary Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Ó Laoghaire ‘descendant of Laoghaire’ (see O'Leary ). English: nickname from an unrecorded Middle English word lery a derivative of Middle English ler Old English hlēor ‘face countenance complexion’. It may have been synonymous with Middle English lere ‘fair of face’ or there may have been Middle English senses that anticipated later uses of leer ‘looking askance; sly underhand’ and leery lairy ‘wary’ or ‘knowing’. Compare Lear.

English: in Devon this surname alternatively may be a habitational name from Leary Barton in West Buckland. The place may take its name from a lost stream-name of uncertain origin.

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


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Where is the Leary family from?

You can see how Leary families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leary family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leary families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 920 Leary families living in London. This was about 36% of all the recorded Leary's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Leary families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leary 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 Leary 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 Leary. 22% of Leary men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Leary women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leary were Farm Labourer and Retired.

View Census Data for Leary | 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%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    7%
  • Farm Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Retired
    2%

What Leary family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 180,000 census records available for the last name Leary. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leary census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Leary

Passenger Lists

There are 38,000 immigration records available for the last name Leary. 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 Leary immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Leary. For the veterans among your Leary ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leary military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leary family history

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What is the average Leary lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Leary life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Leary in 1945 was 39, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leary

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leary 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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