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Sly Family History

Sly Surname Meaning

English (Wiltshire and Gloucestershire): nickname from Middle English sle(i)gh ‘sly’ (Old Norse slœgr) which in the 12th–13th centuries developed the sense ‘skillful expert’ but also ‘crafty guileful underhand’.

In the North this word became slee while in the South and Midlands it became sligh sly.

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


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Where is the Sly family from?

You can see how Sly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sly families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 286 Sly families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Sly's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Sly families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sly 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 Sly ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Sly. 16% of Sly men worked as a Bricklayer and 76% of Sly women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sly were Farmer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Sly | 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

  • Bricklayer
    16%
  • Dairy Farmer
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Farmer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Sly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Sly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sly

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Sly. For the veterans among your Sly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sly military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sly family history

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What is the average Sly lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Sly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Sly in 1945 was 23, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sly

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sly 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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