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Smaley Family History

Smaley Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Staley, Smiley, Smoley, Maley, Smalley, Sealey, Smale, Smales, Saley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Smaley family from?

You can see how Smaley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Smaley family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Smaley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 12 Smaley families living in Alberta. This was about 55% of all the recorded Smaley's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Smaley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smaley 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 Smaley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Presser were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Smaley. 48% of Smaley men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Smaley women worked as a Presser.

View Census Data for Smaley | 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
    48%
  • Farmer
    28%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Labor
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Presser
    100%

What Smaley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Smaley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Smaley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Smaley

Passenger Lists

There are 72 immigration records available for the last name Smaley. 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 Smaley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 116 military records available for the last name Smaley. For the veterans among your Smaley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Smaley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Smaley family history

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What is the average Smaley lifespan?

Average Smaley life expectancy in 1983 was 81 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 72.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Smaley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Smaley 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Smaley family tree

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