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Smalley Family History

Smalley Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name chiefly from Smalley in Balderston near Blackburn (Lancashire) but occasionally from Smalley (Derbyshire) and perhaps also from Smalley in Stanley (Yorkshire).

The placenames derive from Old English smæl ‘narrow thin’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

In Scots pronunciation, the surname developed to Smellie, Smillie, and Smiley.

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


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Where is the Smalley family from?

You can see how Smalley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Smalley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Smalley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,174 Smalley families living in Lancashire. This was about 42% of all the recorded Smalley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Smalley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smalley 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 Smalley 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 Smalley. 9% of Smalley men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Smalley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Smalley were Cotton Weaver and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Smalley | 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
    9%
  • Farm Labourer
    5%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%
  • Cotton Weaver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Cotton Weaver
    4%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Smalley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 94,000 census records available for the last name Smalley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Smalley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Smalley

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Smalley. 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 Smalley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Smalley. For the veterans among your Smalley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Smalley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Smalley family history

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What is the average Smalley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Smalley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Smalley in 1944 was 56, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Smalley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Smalley 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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