Ely Family History

Ely Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Ely, a cathedral city on an island in the fens north of Cambridge, so named from Old English ǣl ‘eel’ + gē ‘district’. English, French, and Breton (Finistère): from the Middle English, Old French personal name Elie, Hely (Elijah in the King James Bible); see Ellis and Elias.

English: variant of Healey. German: variant of Eley and in North America, probably also an altered form of this.

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

Similar surnames: Bly, Elm, Ply, Ell, Eley, Els, Eld, Goy, Elk, Eby

164K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
30K	Military Records
11K	Immigration Records
128K	Census and Voter Lists
510K	Member Trees

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Where is the Ely family from?

You can see how Ely families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ely family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ely families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 316 Ely families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Ely's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ely families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ely surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Ely

What did your Ely 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 Ely. 15% of Ely men worked as a General labourer and 70% of Ely women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ely were Postman and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Ely

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.

General labourer

15%

Farm labourer

Farmer

Postman

Unpaid domestic duties

70%

Housewife

Unpaid domestic

Incapacitated

What Ely family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 128K census records available for the last name Ely. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ely census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ely

Passenger List

There are 11K immigration records available for the last name Ely. 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 Ely immigration records

Military Records

There are 30K military records available for the last name Ely. For the veterans among your Ely ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ely military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ely family history

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What is the average Ely lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Ely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Ely in 1941 was 68, and 75 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ely family tree

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Ely Surname Meaning

English: variant of Healey. German: variant of Eley and in North America, probably also an altered form of this.

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

Where is the Ely family from?

What did your Ely ancestors do for a living?

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.

General labourer

15%

Farm labourer

Farmer

Postman

Unpaid domestic duties

70%

Housewife

Unpaid domestic

Incapacitated

What Ely family records will you find?

What is the average Ely lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Ely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Ely in 1941 was 68, and 75 in 2004.

Ely Family History

Ely Surname Meaning

844,000 record(s) for Ely

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

Where is the Ely family from?

What did your Ely ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Ely family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Ely family history

What is the average Ely lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ely family tree

Search for another surname

Ely Surname Meaning

844,000 record(s) for Ely

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

Where is the Ely family from?

What did your Ely ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Ely family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Ely family history

What is the average Ely lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ely family tree

Search for another surname