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Gourley Family History

Gourley Surname Meaning

Scottish: possibly a Norman habitational name from North or South Gorley (Hampshire) or an unidentified place in Normandy France.

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


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Where is the Gourley family from?

You can see how Gourley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gourley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gourley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 84 Gourley families living in Northumberland. This was about 22% of all the recorded Gourley's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Gourley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gourley 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 Gourley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gourley. 34% of Gourley men worked as a Farmer and 74% of Gourley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gourley were General Labourer Heavy Worker and School Teacher.

View Census Data for Gourley | 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

  • Farmer
    34%
  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Coal Herder below
    17%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • School Teacher
    3%

What Gourley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 36,000 census records available for the last name Gourley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gourley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gourley

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Gourley. 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 Gourley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Gourley. For the veterans among your Gourley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gourley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gourley family history

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What is the average Gourley lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Gourley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Gourley in 1947 was 43, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gourley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gourley 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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