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Martley Family History

Martley Surname Meaning

Probably a reduced form of Martland, a Wigan and Ormskirk surname; see Markland. The final weakly stressed syllable has been reduced to /lə/ and re-interpreted as a slack pronunciation of -ley and -lew.

The Lancs and Cheshire name could alternatively belong with (2) by migration, but no evidence for this has been found. This is from Martley (Worcs).

The place-name is recorded as Mertlega and Mardelega in the 12th century and probably derives from Old English mearð ‘marten weasel’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Martley family from?

You can see how Martley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Martley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Martley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 33 Martley families living in Lancashire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Martley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Martley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Martley 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 Martley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Martley. 89% of Martley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Martley | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Housewife
    12%

What Martley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Martley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Martley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Martley

Passenger Lists

There are 794 immigration records available for the last name Martley. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 255 military records available for the last name Martley. For the veterans among your Martley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Martley military records

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What is the average Martley lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Martley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Martley in 1962 was 69, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Martley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Martley 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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