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Townley Family History

Townley Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name from Towneley near Burnley in Lancashire which is named with Middle English toun(e) ton(e) ‘town village settlement’ (Old English tūn) + leie ‘glade clearing’.

The surname has also been established in Ireland since the 16th century.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Townley family from?

You can see how Townley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Townley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Townley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 933 Townley families living in Lancashire. This was about 47% of all the recorded Townley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Townley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Townley 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 Townley 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 Townley. 11% of Townley men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Townley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Townley were Dairy Farmer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Townley | 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
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Railway Clerk
    5%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Townley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 50,000 census records available for the last name Townley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Townley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Townley

Passenger Lists

There are 54,000 immigration records available for the last name Townley. 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 Townley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Townley. For the veterans among your Townley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Townley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Townley family history

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What is the average Townley lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Townley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Townley in 1946 was 39, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Townley

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

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