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Dilley Family History

Dilley Name Meaning

English: possibly a pet form of an unrecorded Old English personal name Dylla found as the first element in the placenames Dillington (in the former Huntingdonshire) and Dilton (in Wiltshire). The name may sometimes have been confused with Doyley and Dolley (see Olley ). German: variant of Dilly or a surname of French origin an altered form of Delay . In some cases also an altered form of French Dilly .

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


Similar surnames: Dilly, Tilley, Willey, Cilley, Gulley, Lilly, Dillen, Diller, Killey

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Dilley family from?

You can see how Dilley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dilley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dilley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 242 Dilley families living in Bedfordshire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Dilley's in United Kingdom. Bedfordshire and 1 other county had the highest population of Dilley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dilley 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 Dilley 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 Dilley. 16% of Dilley men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Dilley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dilley were Farmworker and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Dilley | 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
    16%
  • Gardener
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Farmworker
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dilley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 48,000 census records available for the last name Dilley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dilley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Dilley

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Dilley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dilley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Dilley. For the veterans among your Dilley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Dilley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Dilley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Dilley in 1942 was 27, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dilley

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