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Priestly Family History

Priestly Surname Meaning

English: variant of Priestley.

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 Priestly family from?

You can see how Priestly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Priestly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Priestly families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 213 Priestly families living in Yorkshire. This was about 38% of all the recorded Priestly's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Priestly families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Priestly 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 Priestly ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Retired Worsted Manufacturer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Priestly. 34% of Priestly men worked as a Retired Worsted Manufacturer and 66% of Priestly women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Priestly were General Farm Labourer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Priestly | 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

  • Retired Worsted Manufacturer
    34%
  • Template Maker
    34%
  • General Farm Labourer
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    8%
  • Household Duties
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Priestly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Priestly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Priestly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Priestly

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Priestly. For the veterans among your Priestly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Priestly military records

You've only scratched the surface of Priestly family history

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What is the average Priestly lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Priestly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Priestly in 1954 was 50, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Priestly

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Priestly 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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