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Grimley Family History

Grimley Surname Meaning

English (Midlands): variant of Grimsley a habitational name from Grimley in Worcestershire probably so named from Old English grīma ‘specter goblin’ + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

Irish (Armagh and Dublin): variant of Gormley.

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


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Where is the Grimley family from?

You can see how Grimley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grimley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grimley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 192 Grimley families living in Warwickshire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Grimley's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Grimley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grimley 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 Grimley 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 Grimley. 20% of Grimley men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Grimley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grimley were Railway Clerk and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Grimley | 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
    20%
  • Incapacitated
    12%
  • Retired
    9%
  • Railway Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Grimley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Grimley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grimley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Grimley

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Grimley. 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 Grimley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Grimley. For the veterans among your Grimley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grimley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grimley family history

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What is the average Grimley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Grimley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Grimley in 1944 was 57, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grimley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Grimley 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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