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Winkley Family History

Winkley Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire and Lincolnshire): habitational name from Winkley in Mitton (Lancashire), a lost place in Sheffield (Yorkshire) recorded as Winkley in 1345, or perhaps from Winksley (Yorkshire).

The Lancashire placename may derive from an earlier placename (from British vindo- ‘white’ + kaito- ‘wood’) + Old English lēah ‘wood, woodland clearing’.

The Yorkshire placename probably derives from an Old English personal name Wineca + Old English lēah.

Americanized form of German Winkele.

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


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Where is the Winkley family from?

You can see how Winkley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Winkley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Winkley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 157 Winkley families living in Lancashire. This was about 34% of all the recorded Winkley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Winkley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Winkley 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 Winkley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cotton Weaver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Winkley. 25% of Winkley men worked as a Cotton Weaver and 74% of Winkley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Winkley were Builders Labourer and Unpaid House Duties.

View Census Data for Winkley | 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

  • Cotton Weaver
    25%
  • General Labourer
    25%
  • Insurance Agent
    17%
  • Builders Labourer
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Cotton Weaver
    6%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Unpaid House Duties
    3%

What Winkley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Winkley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Winkley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Winkley

Passenger Lists

There are 718 immigration records available for the last name Winkley. 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 Winkley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 979 military records available for the last name Winkley. For the veterans among your Winkley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Winkley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Winkley family history

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What is the average Winkley lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Winkley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Winkley in 1959 was 37, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Winkley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Winkley 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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