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Shanley Family History

Shanley Surname Meaning

Irish (Leitrim): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Seanlaoich ‘son of Seanlaoch’ a personal name composed of the elements sean ‘old’ + laoch ‘hero’.

Compare Ganley.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shanley family from?

You can see how Shanley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shanley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shanley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 148 Shanley families living in Lancashire. This was about 42% of all the recorded Shanley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Shanley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shanley 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 Shanley 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 Shanley. 24% of Shanley men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Shanley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shanley were Incapacitated and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Shanley | 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
    24%
  • Bricklayer
    20%
  • Public Works Labourer
    10%
  • Incapacitated
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    7%
  • Cotton Weaver
    5%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%

What Shanley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Shanley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shanley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shanley

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Shanley. 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 Shanley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Shanley. For the veterans among your Shanley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shanley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shanley family history

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What is the average Shanley lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Shanley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Shanley in 1946 was 36, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shanley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shanley 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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