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Keightly Family History

Keightly 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: Knightly, Keightley, Keighley, Leighty, Keithly, Knight, Golightly

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Keightly family from?

You can see how Keightly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keightly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keightly families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Keightly families living in Yorkshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Keightly's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Keightly families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keightly 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 Keightly ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Seamstress was the top reported job for people in the USA named Keightly. 34% of Keightly women worked as a Seamstress.

View Census Data for Keightly | 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 Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    34%
  • Maid
    34%
  • House Work
    34%

What Keightly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 836 census records available for the last name Keightly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keightly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Keightly

Passenger Lists

There are 149 immigration records available for the last name Keightly. 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 Keightly immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 168 military records available for the last name Keightly. For the veterans among your Keightly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keightly military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keightly family history

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What is the average Keightly lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2003, in the United States, Keightly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Keightly in 1966 was 75, and 85 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keightly

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keightly 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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