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Swimley Family History

Swimley 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: Swilley, Sibley, Willey, Sisley, Shipley, Swinney, Wigley, Smiley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Swimley family from?

You can see how Swimley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Swimley family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. The most Swimley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 17 Swimley families living in Lancashire. This was about 74% of all the recorded Swimley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Swimley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Swimley 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 Swimley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Swimley. 50% of Swimley men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Swimley | 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
    50%
  • Manager
    17%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Trucker
    17%

What Swimley family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Swimley

Passenger Lists

There are 17 immigration records available for the last name Swimley. 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 Swimley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 102 military records available for the last name Swimley. For the veterans among your Swimley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Swimley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Swimley family history

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What is the average Swimley lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Swimley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1965, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Swimley in 1951 was 59, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Swimley

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

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