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Papley Family History

Papley 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: Paley, Pasley, Padley, Pawley, Palley, Rapley, Apley, Tapley, Capley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Papley family from?

You can see how Papley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Papley family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Papley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1841 there were 2 Papley families living in Orkney. This was 100% of all the recorded Papley's in Scotland. Orkney had the highest population of Papley families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Papley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1851
  • 1861
  • 1871
  • 1881
  • 1891
  • 1901
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What did your Papley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Papley. 100% of Papley men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Papley | 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
    100%

What Papley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 464 census records available for the last name Papley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Papley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Papley

Passenger Lists

There are 86 immigration records available for the last name Papley. 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 Papley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17 military records available for the last name Papley. For the veterans among your Papley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Papley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Papley family history

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What is the average Papley lifespan?

Between 1976 and 1996, in the United States, Papley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Papley in 1976 was 64, and 63 in 1996.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Papley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Papley 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Papley family tree

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