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Shely Family History

Shely Surname Meaning

Irish: variant of Shealy.

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 Shely family from?

You can see how Shely families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shely family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shely families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 5 Shely families living in London. This was about 42% of all the recorded Shely's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Shely families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shely 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 Shely ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shely. 25% of Shely men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Shely women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shely were Rancher and Dressmaker.

View Census Data for Shely | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    25%
  • Truck Driver
    11%
  • Soldier
    9%
  • Rancher
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    34%
  • Housewife
    23%
  • Mail Clerk
    23%
  • Dressmaker
    23%

What Shely family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Shely

Passenger Lists

There are 122 immigration records available for the last name Shely. 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 Shely immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 397 military records available for the last name Shely. For the veterans among your Shely ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shely military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shely family history

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What is the average Shely lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Shely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Shely in 1965 was 70, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shely

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

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