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Oleary Family History

Oleary Surname Meaning

Irish (Cork): from 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 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Oleary family from?

You can see how Oleary families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oleary family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oleary families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 256 Oleary families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Oleary's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Oleary families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oleary 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 Oleary 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 Oleary. 75% of Oleary men worked as a General Labourer and 85% of Oleary women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oleary were Carpenter and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Oleary | 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
    75%
  • Carpenter
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Confectionary Packe
    4%
  • Retired
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Oleary family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Oleary

Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name Oleary. 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 Oleary immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Oleary military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oleary family history

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What is the average Oleary lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Oleary life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Oleary in 1940 was 37, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oleary

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Oleary 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Oleary family tree

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