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Richley Family History

Richley Name Meaning

English (Northumberland and Durham): probably a habitational name from a lost or unidentified place possibly in the Newcastle area of northeastern England where the surname is now most concentrated. The name was later influenced by the French name Richelieu in the 18th century. Perhaps also an altered form of Swiss German Richle and Richli from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name based on rīc rīh ‘power(ful)’ (see Reich ).

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


Similar surnames: Richey, Richer, Ritchey, Reckley, Ridley, Brickley, Rickles, Ridgley

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 Richley family from?

You can see how Richley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Richley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Richley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 90 Richley families living in Durham. This was about 41% of all the recorded Richley's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Richley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Richley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Richley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Richley. 34% of Richley men worked as an Incapacitated and 87% of Richley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Richley were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Richley | 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

  • Incapacitated
    34%
  • General Labourer
    34%
  • Builders Labourer
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    87%
  • Domestic Servant
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Richley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Richley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Richley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Richley

Passenger Lists

There are 377 immigration records available for the last name Richley. 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 Richley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 564 military records available for the last name Richley. For the veterans among your Richley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Richley lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Richley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Richley in 1943 was 40, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Richley

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