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Wisely Family History

Wisely Surname Meaning

Scottish (Aberdeenshire): unexplained. Most probably a habitational name from a lost or unidentified place or perhaps a variant of Whislay a habitational name from Wisley in Surrey or Whistley Farm in Wiltshire.

Both of which are named from Old English wisce ‘marshy meadow’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’ though the concentration in Scotland cannot be explained.

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


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Where is the Wisely family from?

You can see how Wisely families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wisely family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wisely families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Wisely families living in Surrey. This was about 23% of all the recorded Wisely's in United Kingdom. Surrey and 1 other county had the highest population of Wisely families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wisely 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 Wisely ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Wisely. 100% of Wisely women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Wisely | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Wisely family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Wisely

Passenger Lists

There are 603 immigration records available for the last name Wisely. 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 Wisely immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Wisely. For the veterans among your Wisely ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wisely military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wisely family history

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What is the average Wisely lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Wisely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Wisely in 1956 was 60, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wisely

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wisely 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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