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Raleigh Family History

Raleigh Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Raleigh (House) in Pilton (Devon) recorded as Radeleia in 1086 and Rawlegh in 1535.

The placename probably derives from Old English rǣge ‘roe deer’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

Irish: variant of Riley.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Raleigh family from?

You can see how Raleigh families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Raleigh family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Raleigh families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 28 Raleigh families living in Yorkshire. This was about 36% of all the recorded Raleigh's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Raleigh families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Raleigh 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 Raleigh ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Raleigh. 50% of Raleigh men worked as a General Labourer and 56% of Raleigh women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Raleigh were Builders Labourer and Housemaid (paid Duties ).

View Census Data for Raleigh | 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

  • General Labourer
    50%
  • Builders Labourer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    56%
  • Private Means
    15%
  • Housemaid
    8%
  • Housemaid (paid Duties )
    8%

What Raleigh family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Raleigh. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Raleigh census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Raleigh

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Raleigh. 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 Raleigh immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Raleigh. For the veterans among your Raleigh ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Raleigh military records

You've only scratched the surface of Raleigh family history

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What is the average Raleigh lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Raleigh life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Raleigh in 1951 was 56, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Raleigh

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Raleigh 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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