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Hemley Family History

Hemley Surname Meaning

A variant of Embley from Hemley (Suffolk) which is recorded as Helmelea in 1086. The place-name derives from the Old English personal name Helma + Old English lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Hemley family from?

You can see how Hemley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hemley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hemley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 47 Hemley families living in Hertfordshire. This was about 41% of all the recorded Hemley's in United Kingdom. Hertfordshire had the highest population of Hemley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hemley 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 Hemley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Master Builder and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Hemley. 34% of Hemley men worked as a Master Builder and 87% of Hemley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hemley were General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Hemley | 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

  • Master Builder
    34%
  • Carpenter joiner
    23%
  • Bricklayer
    23%
  • General Labourer
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    87%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    7%

What Hemley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Hemley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hemley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hemley

Passenger Lists

There are 404 immigration records available for the last name Hemley. 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 Hemley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 345 military records available for the last name Hemley. For the veterans among your Hemley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hemley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hemley family history

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What is the average Hemley lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Hemley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Hemley in 1964 was 57, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hemley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hemley 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Hemley family tree

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