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Besley Family History

Besley Surname Meaning

English: southern variant of Beasley.

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 Besley family from?

You can see how Besley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Besley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Besley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 108 Besley families living in London. This was about 20% of all the recorded Besley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Besley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Besley 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 Besley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Insurance Agent and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Besley. 20% of Besley men worked as an Insurance Agent and 77% of Besley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Besley were General Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Besley | 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

  • Insurance Agent
    20%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Incapacitated
    12%
  • General Labourer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Besley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Besley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Besley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Besley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Besley. 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 Besley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Besley. For the veterans among your Besley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Besley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Besley family history

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What is the average Besley lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Besley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Besley in 1962 was 86, and 90 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Besley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Besley 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Besley family tree

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