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Orley Family History

Orley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Orleigh Court in Buckland Brewer (Devon). The placename probably derives from Old English ord ‘point corner of land promontory’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Orley family from?

You can see how Orley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Orley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Orley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 45 Orley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Orley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Orley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Orley 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 Orley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Railway Porter and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Orley. 43% of Orley men worked as a Railway Porter and 100% of Orley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Orley | 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

  • Railway Porter
    43%
  • Carpenter
    29%
  • Mechanical Engineer Cmpl On Constructional Borler Hob Power Plant (travels Occasion
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Orley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Orley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Orley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Orley

Passenger Lists

There are 591 immigration records available for the last name Orley. 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 Orley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 478 military records available for the last name Orley. For the veterans among your Orley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Orley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Orley family history

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What is the average Orley lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Orley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2001, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Orley in 1964 was 70, and 96 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Orley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Orley 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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