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Greasley Family History

Greasley Surname Meaning

Usually from Church and Castle Gresley (Derbys), from which an influential Norman family took its name. Greasley (Notts) may have given rise to another family name of lower social status, but this is hard to verify. Both place-names derive from Old English lēah ‘open woodland’ with an uncertain first element, possibly Old English grēosn ‘gravel’. Some of the following early bearers may alternatively belong under (2), particularly the Lancs examples.

Either from Old French greslet ‘marked as by hail’, i.e., pitted or pock-marked, or more likely perhaps from Old French greslet, gresli, grailet ‘thin, slim’. In early forms, the nickname has sometimes been confused with the place-name in (1).

Compare Le Gresley in Jersey and Greslé, Grêlé in France. See also Grail, to which the 1272-86 and 1295 bearers may alternatively belong.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Greasley family from?

You can see how Greasley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Greasley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Greasley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 165 Greasley families living in Leicestershire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Greasley's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Greasley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Greasley 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 Greasley 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 Greasley. 12% of Greasley men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Greasley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Greasley were Farm Labourer and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Greasley | 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
    12%
  • Master Baker
    8%
  • Coal Hewer
    6%
  • Farm Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    2%

What Greasley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Greasley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Greasley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Greasley

Passenger Lists

There are 748 immigration records available for the last name Greasley. 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 Greasley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 837 military records available for the last name Greasley. For the veterans among your Greasley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Greasley lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Greasley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Greasley in 1963 was 60, and 93 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Greasley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Greasley 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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