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Highley Family History

Highley Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from High Lee in Luddenden Foot (Yorkshire). This is the main source of the name although in some instances the source may be another place of similar name such as High Legh (Cheshire). The Yorkshire placename probably derives from Old English hygel ‘hillock’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’ while the Cheshire placename derives from Old English lēah with later addition of Middle English heigh ‘high’.

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


Similar surnames: Hughley, Keighley, Wigley, Hindley, Hagley, Hockley, Huxley, Hensley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Highley family from?

You can see how Highley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Highley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Highley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 279 Highley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 54% of all the recorded Highley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Highley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Highley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Highley 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 Highley. 32% of Highley men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Highley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Highley were Dairy Farmer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Highley | 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
    32%
  • Cotton Weaver
    27%
  • Production Process Worker Textile Dyeing
    11%
  • Dairy Farmer
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Highley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Highley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Highley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Highley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Highley. 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 Highley immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Highley military records

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What is the average Highley lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Highley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Highley in 1941 was 66, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Highley

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