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Gales Family History

Gales Surname Meaning

English: from the personal name Gale(s) (nominative case-form of Old French Galon) central French form of Wale(s) (see Wales).

Possibly an Americanized form of German Gölz (see Goelz).

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gales family from?

You can see how Gales families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gales family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gales families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 152 Gales families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Gales's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Gales families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gales 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 Gales 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 Gales. 22% of Gales men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Gales women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gales were Metal Works Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Gales | 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
    22%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    13%
  • Carpenter
    10%
  • Metal Works Labourer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Gales family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Gales. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gales census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gales

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Gales. 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 Gales immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Gales. For the veterans among your Gales ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gales military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gales family history

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What is the average Gales lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Gales life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Gales in 1948 was 29, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gales

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gales 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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