History of your Surname
Get access to Whalley family records.Start a free trial

Whalley Family History

Whalley Name Meaning

English (Lancashire and Cheshire): variant of Whaley .

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


Similar surnames: Walley, Whaley, Halley, Whatley, Hayley, Wheller, Hasley, Walles

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Whalley family from?

You can see how Whalley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Whalley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Whalley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 3,689 Whalley families living in Lancashire. This was about 68% of all the recorded Whalley's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Whalley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Whalley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Whalley 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 Whalley. 12% of Whalley men worked as a General Labourer and 65% of Whalley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Whalley were Builders Labourer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Whalley | 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
    12%
  • Cotton Weaver
    7%
  • Insurance Agent
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    65%
  • Cotton Weaver
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Whalley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 69,000 census records available for the last name Whalley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Whalley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Whalley

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Whalley. 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 Whalley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Whalley. For the veterans among your Whalley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Whalley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Whalley family history

Discover More

What is the average Whalley lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Whalley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Whalley in 1953 was 54, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Whalley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Whalley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Whalley last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial