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Wigley Family History

Wigley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Wigley in Brampton (Derbyshire) or Wigley in Copythorne (Hampshire) both of which are named from the Old English personal name Wicga (meaning ‘beetle insect’) or Old English wigga ‘beetle insect’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Wigley family from?

You can see how Wigley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wigley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wigley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 234 Wigley families living in Derbyshire. This was about 12% of all the recorded Wigley's in United Kingdom. Derbyshire had the highest population of Wigley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wigley 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 Wigley 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 Wigley. 9% of Wigley men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Wigley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wigley were Retired and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Wigley | 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%
  • Farmer
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Retired
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Wigley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 45,000 census records available for the last name Wigley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wigley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wigley

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Wigley. 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 Wigley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Wigley. For the veterans among your Wigley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wigley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wigley family history

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What is the average Wigley lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Wigley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Wigley in 1941 was 43, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wigley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wigley 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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