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Wisely Family History

Wisely Name Meaning

Scottish (Aberdeenshire): unexplained. Most probably a habitational name from a lost or unidentified place or perhaps a variant of Whislay a habitational name from Wisley in Surrey or Whistley Farm in Wiltshire (both of which are named from Old English wisce ‘marshy meadow’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’) though the concentration in Scotland cannot be explained.

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


Similar surnames: Wisell, Wiele, Bisel, Wivell, Wissel, Wiley, Weisel, Wiseley, Wiswell

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Where is the Wisely family from?

You can see how Wisely families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wisely family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wisely families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 3 Wisely families living in New Brunswick. This was 100% of all the recorded Wisely's in Canada. New Brunswick had the highest population of Wisely families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wisely surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Wisely ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wisely. 32% of Wisely men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Wisely women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wisely were Farm Hand and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Wisely | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Laborer
    27%
  • Farming
    6%
  • Farm Hand
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    25%
  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Maid
    15%
  • Clerk
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wisely family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Wisely. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wisely census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wisely

Passenger Lists

There are 603 immigration records available for the last name Wisely. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Wisely. For the veterans among your Wisely ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Wisely lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Wisely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Wisely in 1956 was 60, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wisely

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