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Kirkley Family History

Kirkley Name Meaning

English (northern especially Durham): habitational name from Kirkley (Suffolk) or Kirkley in Ponteland (Northumberland). The Suffolk placename derives from Old Norse kirkja ‘church’ + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’. The Northumb placename derives from British crouco- ‘hill barrow’ + Old English hlāw ‘hill mound’.

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


Similar surnames: Bickley, Winkley, Finkley, Kinsley, Brinkley, Kirkeby, Kirksey

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 Kirkley family from?

You can see how Kirkley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kirkley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kirkley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 144 Kirkley families living in Durham. This was about 25% of all the recorded Kirkley's in United Kingdom. Durham and 1 other county had the highest population of Kirkley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kirkley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kirkley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kirkley. 20% of Kirkley men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 82% of Kirkley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kirkley were Chef and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Kirkley | 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

  • Dairy Farmer
    20%
  • General Labourer
    14%
  • Electrical Fitter
    14%
  • Chef
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Household Duties
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kirkley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Kirkley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kirkley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Kirkley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Kirkley. For the veterans among your Kirkley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kirkley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kirkley family history

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What is the average Kirkley lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Kirkley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Kirkley in 1947 was 52, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kirkley

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