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Headley Family History

Headley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Hedley (Durham), Hedley on the Hill (Northumberland), Headley (Yorkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Worcestershire), or Headley Hall in Bramham (Yorkshire). The placenames derive from Old English hǣth ‘heath, heather’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Headley family from?

You can see how Headley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Headley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Headley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 186 Headley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Headley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Headley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Headley 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 Headley 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 Headley. 16% of Headley men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Headley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Headley were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Headley | 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
    16%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Joiner
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Headley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 45,000 census records available for the last name Headley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Headley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Headley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Headley. For the veterans among your Headley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Headley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Headley family history

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What is the average Headley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Headley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Headley in 1942 was 62, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Headley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Headley 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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