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Denley Family History

Denley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places probably so named from Old English denu ‘valley’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. It may well be an altered form of Delly End in Oxfordshire (recorded as Denleghe in 1316) or from Denly Hill in Kent.

Alternatively, the name may be derived from Dunley House in Devon from the Old English personal name Dunna or Dūna + lēah.

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


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Where is the Denley family from?

You can see how Denley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Denley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Denley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 76 Denley families living in Gloucestershire. This was about 16% of all the recorded Denley's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Denley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Denley 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 Denley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Denley. 15% of Denley men worked as an Incapacitated and 75% of Denley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Denley were Stone Mason and Old Age Pensioner.

View Census Data for Denley | 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

  • Incapacitated
    15%
  • General Labourer
    12%
  • Cowman
    8%
  • Stone Mason
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    3%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    3%

What Denley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Denley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Denley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Denley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Denley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Denley family history

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What is the average Denley lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Denley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Denley in 1951 was 30, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Denley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Denley 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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