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Grigley Family History

Grigley Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Wrigley, Grimley, Gridley, Grilley, Rigley, Ridley, Riley, Gailey

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Grigley family from?

You can see how Grigley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grigley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grigley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 16 Grigley families living in Kent. This was about 43% of all the recorded Grigley's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Grigley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grigley 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 Grigley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Grigley. 50% of Grigley men worked as a Laborer and 28% of Grigley women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grigley were Farm Laborer and Clerk.

View Census Data for Grigley | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farmer
    35%
  • Farm Laborer
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    28%
  • Farm Laborer
    28%
  • Laborer
    28%
  • Clerk
    19%

What Grigley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Grigley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grigley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Grigley

Passenger Lists

There are 81 immigration records available for the last name Grigley. 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 Grigley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 106 military records available for the last name Grigley. For the veterans among your Grigley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grigley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grigley family history

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What is the average Grigley lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2004, in the United States, Grigley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1983, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Grigley in 1968 was 74, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grigley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Grigley 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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