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Galey Family History

Galey Surname Meaning

English: variant of Galley. Americanized form of Polish Galej: nickname meaning ‘hasten hurry’ ultimately from Old Slavic galiti ‘to shout’.

French: variant of Gallet Compare Galley.

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 Galey family from?

You can see how Galey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Galey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Galey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 55 Galey families living in Norfolk. This was about 25% of all the recorded Galey's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Galey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Galey 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 Galey 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 Galey. 40% of Galey men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Galey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Galey were Agricultural Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Galey | 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
    40%
  • Blastfurnaceman Heavy Work
    20%
  • Engineering Draughtsman
    20%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Domestic Unpaid
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Galey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Galey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Galey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Galey

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Galey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Galey family history

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What is the average Galey lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Galey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Galey in 1957 was 64, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Galey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Galey 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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