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Coly Family History

Coly Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Cole, Coley, Colt, Colby, Cody, Coll, Holy, Coln, Coy, Colo

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Coly family from?

You can see how Coly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Coly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Coly families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 6 Coly families living in London. This was about 86% of all the recorded Coly's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Coly families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Coly 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 Coly ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Coly. 34% of Coly men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Coly women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Coly were Clerk and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Coly | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Farmer
    24%
  • Salesman
    15%
  • Clerk
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    50%
  • Saleslady
    50%

What Coly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Coly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Coly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Coly

Passenger Lists

There are 210 immigration records available for the last name Coly. 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 Coly immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 262 military records available for the last name Coly. For the veterans among your Coly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Coly military records

You've only scratched the surface of Coly family history

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What is the average Coly lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2002, in the United States, Coly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Coly in 1968 was 82, and 91 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Coly

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Coly 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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