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

Motley Family History

Motley Name Meaning

English (Lincolnshire):: nickname from Middle English motley ‘motley cloth or garments of a mixed color’ also ‘parti-colored variegated’ presumably denoting someone who wore motley or made motley clothing. habitational name from Mutley in Plymouth (Devon). The placename probably derives from Old English (ge)mōt ‘meeting’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing glade’. variant of Mutlow a habitational name from Mutlow in Marton (Cheshire) or from any of the many other minor places similarly named (Old English mōt-hlāw ‘meeting-mound’); there are at least three more in Cheshire five in Derbyshire four in Cambridgeshire and examples in Northamptonshire and Essex.

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


Similar surnames: Notley, Morley, Medley, Manley, Motte, Coley, Mottley, Mosley, Hatley

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 Motley family from?

You can see how Motley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Motley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Motley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 28 Motley families living in Ontario. This was about 88% of all the recorded Motley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Motley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Motley 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 Motley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Motley. 36% of Motley men worked as a Labourer and 100% of Motley women worked as a Student. .

View Census Data for Motley | 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 1921

  • Labourer
    36%
  • Farmer
    36%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Electrician
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Motley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 38,000 census records available for the last name Motley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Motley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Motley

Passenger Lists

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

View all Motley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Motley. For the veterans among your Motley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Motley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Motley family history

Discover More

What is the average Motley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Motley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Motley in 1944 was 25, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Motley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Motley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Motley last name

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