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Ashley Family History

Ashley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of numerous places (especially in southern and central England) named Ashley from Old English æsc ‘ash’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

Americanized form of French Canadian Asselin.

In some cases also an Americanized form of German Eschler.

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 Ashley family from?

You can see how Ashley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ashley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ashley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 837 Ashley families living in London. This was about 14% of all the recorded Ashley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ashley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ashley 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 Ashley 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 Ashley. 13% of Ashley men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Ashley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ashley were Farmer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Ashley | 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
    13%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Farmer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Ashley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 235,000 census records available for the last name Ashley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ashley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ashley

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Ashley. 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 Ashley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 36,000 military records available for the last name Ashley. For the veterans among your Ashley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ashley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ashley family history

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What is the average Ashley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Ashley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Ashley in 1942 was 44, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ashley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ashley 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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