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Smoley Family History

Smoley Surname Meaning

Americanized form of Slovenian and Slovak Smolej: from a derivative of smola ‘resin pitch’ figuratively ‘bad luck’ used as a nickname for an unlucky person or a cobbler.

(see Smola and Smole).

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Smoley family from?

You can see how Smoley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Smoley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Smoley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Smoley families living in Lincolnshire. This was about 38% of all the recorded Smoley's in United Kingdom. Lincolnshire and 1 other county had the highest population of Smoley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smoley 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 Smoley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Smoley. 23% of Smoley men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Smoley women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Smoley were Miner and Housework.

View Census Data for Smoley | 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
    23%
  • Clerk
    17%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Miner
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    43%
  • Housewife
    29%
  • Housework
    29%

What Smoley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Smoley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Smoley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Smoley

Passenger Lists

There are 250 immigration records available for the last name Smoley. 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 Smoley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 371 military records available for the last name Smoley. For the veterans among your Smoley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Smoley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Smoley family history

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What is the average Smoley lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Smoley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Smoley in 1947 was 44, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Smoley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Smoley 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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