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Fearnley Family History

Fearnley Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): from any of various places called with Old English fearn ‘fern bracken’ + lēah ‘wood clearing’ notably the Yorkshire places Farnley near Otley, Farnley near Armley, Farnley Tyas, Fearnley in Wyke, Fernley Hill in Altofts, and perhaps also Fernilee in Derbyshire.

English: variant of Farley.

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


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Where is the Fearnley family from?

You can see how Fearnley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fearnley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fearnley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,244 Fearnley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 64% of all the recorded Fearnley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Fearnley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fearnley 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 Fearnley 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 Fearnley. 11% of Fearnley men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Fearnley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fearnley were Colliery Hewer Heavy Wo and Cotton Weaver.

View Census Data for Fearnley | 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
    11%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Retired
    5%
  • Colliery Hewer Heavy Wo
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housekeeper
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Cotton Weaver
    2%

What Fearnley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Fearnley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fearnley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fearnley

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Fearnley. 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 Fearnley immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Fearnley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fearnley family history

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What is the average Fearnley lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Fearnley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Fearnley in 1963 was 68, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fearnley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fearnley 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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