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O'leary Family History

O'leary Surname Meaning

Irish (Munster): Americanized form of Ó Laoghaire ‘descendant of Laoghaire’, a byname originally meaning ‘keeper of the calves’, from laogh ‘calf’.

This was the name of a 5th-century king of Ireland.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


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Where is the O'leary family from?

You can see how O'leary families moved over time by selecting different census years. The O'leary family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most O'leary families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 O'leary family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded O'leary's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of O'leary families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the O'leary 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 O'leary family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 160,000 census records available for the last name O'leary. Like a window into their day-to-day life, O'leary census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name O'leary. 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 30,000 military records available for the last name O'leary. For the veterans among your O'leary ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average O'leary lifespan?

Between 1986 and 2004, in the United States, O'leary life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for O'leary in 1986 was 63, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for O'leary

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your O'leary 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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