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Petley Family History

Petley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from a lost place called Petley in Kent. The name survives in Petley Wood in Battle (Sussex).

The placename derives from Old English pytt ‘pit hollow’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Petley family from?

You can see how Petley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Petley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 113 Petley families living in London. This was about 39% of all the recorded Petley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Petley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petley 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 Petley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Electrian and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Petley. 50% of Petley men worked as an Electrian and 75% of Petley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Petley were Horseman On Farm and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Petley | 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

  • Electrian
    50%
  • Horseman On Farm
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    4%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Petley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Petley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Petley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Petley. 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 Petley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 874 military records available for the last name Petley. For the veterans among your Petley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petley family history

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What is the average Petley lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Petley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1998, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Petley in 1957 was 68, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Petley 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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