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Rayley Family History

Rayley 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: Rapley, Dayley, Ratley, Radley, Railey, Ryley, Rayle, Bayley, Hayley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rayley family from?

You can see how Rayley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rayley family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Rayley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Rayley families living in Lancashire. This was about 67% of all the recorded Rayley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Rayley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rayley 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 Rayley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Rayley. 100% of Rayley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rayley | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Rayley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 940 census records available for the last name Rayley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rayley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rayley

Passenger Lists

There are 178 immigration records available for the last name Rayley. 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 Rayley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 135 military records available for the last name Rayley. For the veterans among your Rayley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rayley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rayley family history

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What is the average Rayley lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, Rayley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Rayley in 1964 was 77, and 91 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rayley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rayley 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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