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Boley Family History

Boley Surname Meaning

South German: patronymic from a personal name derived from Pelagius (from Greek Pelagios a derivative of pelagos ‘sea’; compare Spanish Pelayo).

Saint Pelagius is the patron saint of the city of Constance (on Lake Constance).

English: variant of Bulley or Bowley.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Boley family from?

You can see how Boley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Boley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Boley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 62 Boley families living in Somerset. This was about 34% of all the recorded Boley's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Boley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Boley 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 Boley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Boley. 34% of Boley men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 60% of Boley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Boley were Dairy Farming (assisting and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Boley | 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

  • Dairy Farmer
    34%
  • Agriculture Labour
    23%
  • General Labourer
    23%
  • Dairy Farming (assisting
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    60%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    12%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    4%

What Boley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Boley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Boley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Boley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Boley. For the veterans among your Boley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Boley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Boley family history

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What is the average Boley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Boley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Boley in 1942 was 38, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Boley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Boley 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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