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Portley Family History

Portley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Portley in Caterham (Surrey) probably derived from an Old English word or personal name related to Old Norse purka ‘sow’.

+ Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Portley family from?

You can see how Portley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Portley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Portley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 8 Portley families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Portley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Portley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Portley 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 Portley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Portley. 100% of Portley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Portley | 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
    100%

What Portley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Portley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Portley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Portley

Passenger Lists

There are 231 immigration records available for the last name Portley. 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 Portley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 407 military records available for the last name Portley. For the veterans among your Portley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Portley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Portley family history

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What is the average Portley lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2003, in the United States, Portley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Portley in 1958 was 48, and 47 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Portley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Portley 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 Portley family tree

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