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Persley Family History

Persley Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Persley in the Grampians.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Persley family from?

You can see how Persley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Persley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Persley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 5 Persley families living in Ontario. This was about 71% of all the recorded Persley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Persley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Persley 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 Persley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Persley. 40% of Persley men worked as a Laborer and 25% of Persley women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Persley were Farm Laborer and School Teacher.

View Census Data for Persley | 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

  • Laborer
    40%
  • Farmer
    32%
  • Farming
    11%
  • Farm Laborer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    25%
  • Farm Laborer
    25%
  • Maid
    25%
  • School Teacher
    13%

What Persley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Persley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Persley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Persley

Passenger Lists

There are 103 immigration records available for the last name Persley. 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 Persley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 450 military records available for the last name Persley. For the veterans among your Persley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Persley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Persley family history

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What is the average Persley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2003, in the United States, Persley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Persley in 1944 was 36, and 82 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Persley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Persley ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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