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Shirely Family History

Shirely Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Shively, Shirey, Shield, Shire, Shirley, Snively, Shirer, Shorey

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shirely family from?

You can see how Shirely families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shirely family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Shirely families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Shirely families living in Surrey. This was about 44% of all the recorded Shirely's in United Kingdom. Surrey and 1 other county had the highest population of Shirely families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shirely 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 Shirely ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shirely. 39% of Shirely men worked as a Farmer and 26% of Shirely women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shirely were Clerk and Waitress.

View Census Data for Shirely | 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
    39%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    26%
  • Teacher
    14%
  • Seamstress
    10%
  • Waitress
    7%

What Shirely family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Shirely

Passenger Lists

There are 62 immigration records available for the last name Shirely. 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 Shirely immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 200 military records available for the last name Shirely. For the veterans among your Shirely ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shirely military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shirely family history

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What is the average Shirely lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2001, in the United States, Shirely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1997, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Shirely in 1964 was 78, and 65 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shirely

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shirely 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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