Tilley Family History

Tilley Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Tilly-sur-Seulles (Calvados) or Tilly (Eure) France. English: habitational name from Tyley in Wotton under Edge (Gloucestershire) Tiley in Minterne Magna (Dorset) or Tilley (Shropshire).

The Gloucestershire and Dorset placenames derive from Old English tigel ‘tile’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’. The Shropshire placename derives from an uncertain first element + Old English lēah.

English: occupational name from Middle English tilie ‘one who tills the land a husbandman’. Compare Tiller.

English: from a possible diminutive of the Middle English female personal name Till, a pet form of Matilda.

Irish: variant of Tully.

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

Similar surnames: Tiller, Willey, Titley, Tilly, Cilley, Lilly, Pilley, Dilley, Tolley, Pulley

206K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
17K	Military Records
12K	Immigration Records
135K	Census and Voter Lists
504K	Member Trees

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Where is the Tilley family from?

You can see how Tilley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tilley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tilley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 616 Tilley families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Tilley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Tilley families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tilley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Tilley

What did your Tilley 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 Tilley. 7% of Tilley men worked as a General labourer and 72% of Tilley women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tilley were Retired and Housewife.

View Census Data for Tilley

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.

General labourer

Builders labourer

Incapacitated

Retired

Unpaid domestic duties

72%

Unpaid domestic

Domestic duties

Housewife

What Tilley family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 135K census records available for the last name Tilley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tilley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tilley

Passenger List

There are 12K immigration records available for the last name Tilley. 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 Tilley immigration records

Military Records

There are 17K military records available for the last name Tilley. For the veterans among your Tilley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tilley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tilley family history

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What is the average Tilley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Tilley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Tilley in 1942 was 28, and 73 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tilley family tree

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Tilley Surname Meaning

English: occupational name from Middle English tilie ‘one who tills the land a husbandman’. Compare Tiller.

English: from a possible diminutive of the Middle English female personal name Till, a pet form of Matilda.

Irish: variant of Tully.

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

Where is the Tilley family from?

What did your Tilley ancestors do for a living?

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.

General labourer

Builders labourer

Incapacitated

Retired

Unpaid domestic duties

72%

Unpaid domestic

Domestic duties

Housewife

What Tilley family records will you find?

What is the average Tilley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Tilley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Tilley in 1942 was 28, and 73 in 2004.

Tilley Family History

Tilley Surname Meaning

876,000 record(s) for Tilley

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

Where is the Tilley family from?

What did your Tilley ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Tilley family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Tilley family history

What is the average Tilley lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tilley family tree

Search for another surname

Tilley Surname Meaning

876,000 record(s) for Tilley

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

Where is the Tilley family from?

What did your Tilley ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Tilley family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Tilley family history

What is the average Tilley lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tilley family tree

Search for another surname