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Gilley Family History

Gilley Surname Meaning

English: from a Middle English personal name recorded in Latin as Gilia either a feminine form of Giles or a pet form of Gillian.

English and Scottish: sometimes perhaps an English variant of Scottish Gillie; see Gillies.

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


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Where is the Gilley family from?

You can see how Gilley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 106 Gilley families living in London. This was about 27% of all the recorded Gilley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Gilley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilley 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 Gilley 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 Gilley. 43% of Gilley men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Gilley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilley were Shop Assistant (grocery) and Shorthand Typist.

View Census Data for Gilley | 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
    43%
  • Bricklayer
    29%
  • Shop Assistant (grocery)
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    4%
  • Shorthand Typist
    4%

What Gilley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 31,000 census records available for the last name Gilley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Gilley. For the veterans among your Gilley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilley family history

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What is the average Gilley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Gilley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Gilley in 1944 was 28, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilley 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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