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Smelley Family History

Smelley Surname Meaning

Altered form of Scottish Smellie a variant of Smillie.

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


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Where is the Smelley family from?

You can see how Smelley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Smelley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Smelley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 2 Smelley families living in Manitoba. This was about 50% of all the recorded Smelley's in Canada. Manitoba and 1 other province had the highest population of Smelley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smelley 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 Smelley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Smelley. 38% of Smelley men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Smelley women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Smelley were Salesman and Pressing.

View Census Data for Smelley | 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

  • Farmer
    38%
  • Laborer
    23%
  • Carpenter
    8%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Seamstress
    10%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Pressing
    10%

What Smelley family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Smelley

Passenger Lists

There are 206 immigration records available for the last name Smelley. 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 Smelley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Smelley. For the veterans among your Smelley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Smelley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Smelley family history

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What is the average Smelley lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Smelley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Smelley in 1941 was 26, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Smelley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Smelley 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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