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Lilly Family History

Lilly Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English female personal name Lylie probably from the name of the flower Middle English lilie lelie ‘lily’. English: habitational name from Lelley in East Yorkshire or Lilley in Hertfordshire.

The Yorkshire placename probably derives from Old English lǣl ‘twig brushwood’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. The Hertfordshire placename derives from Old English līn ‘flax’ + lēah.

Irish: Anglicized shortened form of Allely.

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


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Where is the Lilly family from?

You can see how Lilly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lilly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lilly families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 289 Lilly families living in London. This was about 15% of all the recorded Lilly's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Lilly families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lilly 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 Lilly 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 Lilly. 9% of Lilly men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Lilly women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lilly were Painter decorator and Housewife.

View Census Data for Lilly | 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
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • Painter decorator
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Lilly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 106,000 census records available for the last name Lilly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lilly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lilly

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Lilly. 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 Lilly immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Lilly. For the veterans among your Lilly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lilly military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lilly family history

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What is the average Lilly lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Lilly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Lilly in 1943 was 20, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lilly

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lilly 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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