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Railey Family History

Railey Surname Meaning

Probably an Americanized form of Swiss German Rölli (see Roelle), variant of Raile or Reile. English: variant of Raleigh.

English: perhaps occasionally a habitational name from Rayleigh (Essex) recorded as Reilee in 1181 and Rayley in 1337.

The placename derives from Old English rǣge ‘female roe-deer; wild she-goat’ + lēah ‘open woodland’.

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


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Where is the Railey family from?

You can see how Railey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Railey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Railey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 26 Railey families living in Lancashire. This was about 16% of all the recorded Railey's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Railey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Railey 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 Railey 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 Railey. 100% of Railey men worked as a General Labourer and 100% of Railey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Railey | 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
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Railey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Railey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Railey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Railey

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Railey. 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 Railey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Railey. For the veterans among your Railey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Railey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Railey family history

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What is the average Railey lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Railey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Railey in 1943 was 49, and 67 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Railey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Railey 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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