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Goodley Family History

Goodley Surname Meaning

English (eastern): variant of Goodliff from the Middle English personal name Godlif if male from Old English Godlēof if female from Old English Godlēofu.

English: alternatively a variant of Godley.

Probably also an Americanized form of South German and Swiss German Gütle (or the variants Güttly and Gütler) a status name for a smallholder (see Goodlin).

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 Goodley family from?

You can see how Goodley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goodley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goodley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 17 Goodley families living in Ontario. This was about 81% of all the recorded Goodley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Goodley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goodley 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 Goodley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Goodley. 31% of Goodley men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Goodley women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goodley were Farm Laborer and Laundress.

View Census Data for Goodley | 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
    31%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Farm Laborer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Servant
    20%
  • Maid
    20%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Laundress
    15%

What Goodley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Goodley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goodley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Goodley

Passenger Lists

There are 678 immigration records available for the last name Goodley. 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 Goodley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 670 military records available for the last name Goodley. For the veterans among your Goodley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goodley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Goodley family history

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What is the average Goodley lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Goodley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Goodley in 1962 was 65, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goodley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Goodley 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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