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Fairley Family History

Fairley Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from any of several places called from Old English fæger ‘beautiful’ or fearn ‘fern’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. Primarily from Fairlie in Ayrshire but perhaps occasionally from other places similarly named such as Fairley (Northumberland), Fairlee in Newport (Isle of Wight) and Fairliehope (Linton Peeblesshire).

A Scots family once known as de Ros adopted the name Fairlie when granted lands at Fairlie, Ayrshire by Robert the Bruce.

Irish: variant of Farrelly from Ó Fearghaile.

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


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Where is the Fairley family from?

You can see how Fairley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fairley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fairley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 177 Fairley families living in Durham. This was about 32% of all the recorded Fairley's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Fairley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fairley 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 Fairley 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 Fairley. 50% of Fairley men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Fairley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fairley were Motor Car Mechanic and Private Means.

View Census Data for Fairley | 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
    50%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Retired Coal Miner
    13%
  • Motor Car Mechanic
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Fairley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Fairley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fairley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fairley

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Fairley. 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 Fairley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Fairley. For the veterans among your Fairley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fairley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fairley family history

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What is the average Fairley lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Fairley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Fairley in 1948 was 34, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fairley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fairley 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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