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Rylands Family History

Rylands Surname Meaning

Mostly from a plural form of Ryland. Middle English ryelandes -londes refers to the strips of arable where rye was grown within one of the large open fields that were typical of medieval communal farming; as a phrase it could be used to name an open field where rye predominated.

This is the source of the Lancs surname but elsewhere the original form may alternatively have been in the singular with final -s added later.

From Rylance in Cheshire, a lost place in Pownall Fee, which is recorded as Rylondis in about 1200, Ruylonds in 1337, and Ruylond in 1349.

The place-name has the same meaning ‘rye land(s)’ as in (1) with vacillation between singular and plural forms.

Surnames from it are difficult to distinguish from Rylands or Rylance from other sources.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Rylands family from?

You can see how Rylands families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rylands family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Rylands families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 191 Rylands families living in Lancashire. This was about 49% of all the recorded Rylands's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Rylands families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rylands 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 Rylands 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 Rylands. 31% of Rylands men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Rylands women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rylands were Power Loom Tunerwoollens and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rylands | 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
    31%
  • Gardener
    24%
  • Builders Labourer
    16%
  • Power Loom Tunerwoollens
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Private Means
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Rylands family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Rylands. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rylands census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rylands

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 878 military records available for the last name Rylands. For the veterans among your Rylands ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Rylands lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Rylands life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Rylands in 1962 was 73, and 52 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rylands

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rylands 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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