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Niley Family History

Niley 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: Iley, Riley, Wiley, Niles, Miley, Ailey, Hiley, Nile, Tiley, Liley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Niley family from?

You can see how Niley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Niley family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Niley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Niley families living in Lancashire. This was about 88% of all the recorded Niley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Niley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Niley 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 Niley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laundress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Niley. 37% of Niley men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Niley women worked as a Laundress.

View Census Data for Niley | 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
    37%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Truck Driver
    16%
  • Caretaker
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laundress
    100%

What Niley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 919 census records available for the last name Niley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Niley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Niley

Passenger Lists

There are 116 immigration records available for the last name Niley. 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 Niley immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Niley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Niley family history

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What is the average Niley lifespan?

Between 1985 and 1994, in the United States, Niley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Niley in 1985 was 95, and 43 in 1994.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Niley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Niley 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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