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Graley Family History

Graley Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): variant of Greasley, a habitational name from any of the places so called in Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire, or a nickname either from Old French greslet ‘marked as by hail’, i.e. pitted or pock-marked, or Old French greslet, gresli, grailet ‘thin, slim’. Possibly an Americanized form of German Greulich.

Irish: variant of Greally from Mag Raoghallaigh ‘son of Raoghallach’, a variant of Raghailleach; compare O'Reilly.

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


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Where is the Graley family from?

You can see how Graley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Graley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Graley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 9 Graley families living in Ontario. This was about 38% of all the recorded Graley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Graley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Graley 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 Graley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Graley. 28% of Graley men worked as a Laborer and 47% of Graley women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Graley were Salesman and Manager.

View Census Data for Graley | 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
    28%
  • Miner
    20%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    47%
  • Clerk
    14%
  • Maid
    14%
  • Manager
    14%

What Graley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Graley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Graley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Graley

Passenger Lists

There are 393 immigration records available for the last name Graley. 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 Graley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 455 military records available for the last name Graley. For the veterans among your Graley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Graley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Graley family history

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What is the average Graley lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Graley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Graley in 1960 was 55, and 61 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Graley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Graley 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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