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Ketley Family History

Ketley Surname Meaning

from Ketley in Wellington (Shrops). The place-name is recorded as Cattelegh' and Ketteleg' in 1271–2 and derives from an uncertain initial element + Old English lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

Families with this name may have migrated to Kent and Essex unless bearers of the name there belong at (2).

DNA testing has shown that most present-day men with the name descend from a single common ancestor.

in SW England also a variant of Kitley.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ketley family from?

You can see how Ketley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ketley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ketley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 189 Ketley families living in Essex. This was about 68% of all the recorded Ketley's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Ketley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ketley 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 Ketley 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 Ketley. 15% of Ketley men worked as a General Labourer and 84% of Ketley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ketley were Builders Labourer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Ketley | 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
    15%
  • Incapacitated
    11%
  • Licensed Victualler
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Ketley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Ketley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ketley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ketley

Passenger Lists

There are 606 immigration records available for the last name Ketley. 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 Ketley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 639 military records available for the last name Ketley. For the veterans among your Ketley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ketley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ketley family history

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What is the average Ketley lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2003, in the United States, Ketley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Ketley in 1960 was 57, and 91 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ketley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ketley 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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