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Greenley Family History

Greenley Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): habitational name from either Little Gringley (Nottinghamshire) recorded as Grenlay in 1225 or from Grindley (Staffordshire) recorded as Grenleg in 125.

Both places are named from Old English grēne ‘green’ + lēah ‘clearing’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Greenley family from?

You can see how Greenley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Greenley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Greenley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 157 Greenley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 56% of all the recorded Greenley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Greenley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Greenley 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 Greenley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Drainage Worker and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Greenley. 12% of Greenley men worked as a Drainage Worker and 80% of Greenley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Greenley were Incapacitated and House Duties.

View Census Data for Greenley | 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

  • Drainage Worker
    12%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Farm Labourer
    12%
  • Incapacitated
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • House Duties
    4%

What Greenley family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Greenley

Passenger Lists

There are 759 immigration records available for the last name Greenley. 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 Greenley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 936 military records available for the last name Greenley. For the veterans among your Greenley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Greenley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Greenley family history

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What is the average Greenley lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Greenley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Greenley in 1946 was 36, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Greenley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Greenley 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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