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Marley Family History

Marley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places so called for example in Devon, Kent, and Yorkshire. According to Ekwall, the first element of these placenames is respectively Old English (ge)mǣre ‘boundary’, myrig ‘pleasant’, and mearth ‘(pine) marten’.

The second element in each case is Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’. This surname was taken to Ireland by a Northumbrian family who settled there in the 17th century.

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


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Where is the Marley family from?

You can see how Marley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Marley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Marley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 595 Marley families living in Durham. This was about 21% of all the recorded Marley's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Marley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Marley 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 Marley 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 Marley. 17% of Marley men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Marley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Marley were Incapacitated and Private Means.

View Census Data for Marley | 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
    17%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Colliery Hewer Below
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Marley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 71,000 census records available for the last name Marley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Marley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Marley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Marley. For the veterans among your Marley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Marley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Marley family history

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What is the average Marley lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Marley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Marley in 1946 was 58, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Marley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Marley 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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