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Qualey Family History

Qualey Surname Meaning

Irish: variant of Quealy. Americanized form of Norwegian Kvaløy: habitational name from any of some ten farmsteads so named.

It is derived from kval ‘whale’ + øy ‘island’.

The name has its roots in Old Norse, specifically Hvaley.

This reflects a connection to the natural environment, particularly the sea and its inhabitants.

Such names often signify geographic or ecological characteristics important to the communities that used them.

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


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Where is the Qualey family from?

You can see how Qualey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Qualey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Qualey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 16 Qualey families living in Lancashire. This was about 76% of all the recorded Qualey's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Qualey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Qualey 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 Qualey ancestors do for a living?

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

View Census Data for Qualey | 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 Qualey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Qualey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Qualey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Qualey

Passenger Lists

There are 511 immigration records available for the last name Qualey. 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 Qualey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 976 military records available for the last name Qualey. For the veterans among your Qualey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Qualey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Qualey family history

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What is the average Qualey lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Qualey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Qualey in 1947 was 52, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Qualey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Qualey 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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