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Softley Family History

Softley Surname Meaning

Scottish and northern English: habitational name from Softley in Auckland (Durham), Softlaw in Sprouston (Roxburghshire), or Softley in Knaresdale (Northumberland). The Durham and Roxburgh placenames derive from Old English sōfte ‘soft’+ hlāw ‘hill’ thus ‘hill with spongy soil’ or ‘gentle or pleasing hill’.

The Northumberland placename derives from Old English sōfte + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Softley family from?

You can see how Softley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Softley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Softley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 109 Softley families living in Norfolk. This was about 28% of all the recorded Softley's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Softley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Softley 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 Softley 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 Softley. 19% of Softley men worked as a General Labourer and 85% of Softley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Softley were Fishmonger and Housework.

View Census Data for Softley | 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
    19%
  • Farm Labourer
    14%
  • Shipyard Labourer
    14%
  • Fishmonger
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housework
    2%

What Softley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Softley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Softley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Softley

Passenger Lists

There are 846 immigration records available for the last name Softley. 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 Softley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 358 military records available for the last name Softley. For the veterans among your Softley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Softley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Softley family history

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What is the average Softley lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2003, in the United States, Softley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1995, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Softley in 1961 was 46, and 90 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Softley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Softley 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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