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

Whitley Family History

Whitley Name Meaning

English: habitational name from one or more of the many places called Whitley (in Yorkshire Cheshire Northumberland Wiltshire Warwickshire) Whiteley or Whitleigh (in Berkshire). The placename is common generally with the meaning ‘white clearing’ (Old English hwīt ‘white’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’) or occasionally ‘wheat clearing’ (Old English hwǣte + lēah). According to Redmonds the Yorkshire surname originated in a locality in the Elland area perhaps White Lee in Scammonden or White Lee in Mytholmroyd.

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


Similar surnames: Whatley, Whitney, Willey, Wheatley, Shipley, Wortley, Hatley, Smitley

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 Whitley family from?

You can see how Whitley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Whitley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Whitley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 134 Whitley families living in Ontario. This was about 58% of all the recorded Whitley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Whitley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Whitley 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 Whitley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Income were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Whitley. 37% of Whitley men worked as a Farmer and 27% of Whitley women worked as an Income. Some less common occupations for Americans named Whitley were Mechanic and Servant. .

View Census Data for Whitley | 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

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Labourer
    15%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Mechanic
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Income
    27%
  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Nurse
    14%
  • Servant
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Whitley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 132,000 census records available for the last name Whitley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Whitley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Whitley

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Whitley. 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 Whitley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Whitley. For the veterans among your Whitley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Whitley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Whitley family history

Discover More

What is the average Whitley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Whitley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Whitley in 1942 was 36, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Whitley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Whitley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Whitley last name

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