This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Copley family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Copley Family History

Copley Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): habitational name from any of various places called Copley for example in County Durham, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire, from the Old English personal name Coppa (apparently a byname for a tall man).

It may also have origins from copp ‘hilltop’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Copley family from?

You can see how Copley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Copley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Copley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,656 Copley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 69% of all the recorded Copley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Copley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Copley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Copley 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 Copley. 12% of Copley men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Copley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Copley were Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Copley | 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
    12%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Coal Hewer
    5%
  • Colliery Hewer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Copley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 81,000 census records available for the last name Copley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Copley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Copley

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Copley. 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 Copley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Copley. For the veterans among your Copley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Copley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Copley family history

Discover More

What is the average Copley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Copley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Copley in 1942 was 41, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Copley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Copley 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 Copley family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial