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Horley Family History

Horley Surname Meaning

from Horley (Oxon Surrey) or Horley Green Farm in Mayfield (Sussex). The Oxon place-name is recorded as Hornelie in 1086 and probably derives from Old English *horna ‘horn horn-shaped piece of land’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

The Surrey place-name is recorded as Hornle in 1230 and probably takes its name from Horne in Surrey (see Horne) + Old English lēah.

The Sussex place-name derives from Old English horu ‘filth dirt’ + lēah.

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


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Where is the Horley family from?

You can see how Horley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Horley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Horley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 109 Horley families living in London. This was about 15% of all the recorded Horley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Horley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Horley 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 Horley 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 Horley. 18% of Horley men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Horley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Horley were Old Age Pensioner and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Horley | 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
    18%
  • Bricklayer
    14%
  • Gardener
    14%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    3%

What Horley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Horley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Horley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Horley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Horley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Horley family history

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What is the average Horley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Horley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Horley in 1944 was 25, and 96 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Horley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Horley 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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