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Townsley Family History

Townsley Surname Meaning

English (northern): variant of Townley. In Ireland this name was confused with Tinsley.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Townsley family from?

You can see how Townsley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Townsley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Townsley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 319 Townsley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 57% of all the recorded Townsley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Townsley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Townsley 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 Townsley 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 Townsley. 39% of Townsley men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Townsley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Townsley were Cotton Manufacturer and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Townsley | 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
    39%
  • Licenced Waterman lighterm Heavy Wor
    8%
  • Retail Fish Salesman
    8%
  • Cotton Manufacturer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%

What Townsley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Townsley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Townsley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Townsley

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Townsley. 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 Townsley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Townsley. For the veterans among your Townsley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Townsley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Townsley family history

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What is the average Townsley lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Townsley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1957. The average life expectancy for Townsley in 1951 was 41, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Townsley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Townsley 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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