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Wadsley Family History

Wadsley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Wadsley in Sheffield (Yorkshire) which is recorded as Wadesley and Waddesley in medieval documents.

The placename derives from an Old English personal name Wæddi (genitive Wæddes) + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Wadsley family from?

You can see how Wadsley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wadsley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wadsley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 8 Wadsley families living in Manitoba. This was about 89% of all the recorded Wadsley's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Wadsley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wadsley 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 Wadsley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Wadsley. 37% of Wadsley men worked as a Farmer and 80% of Wadsley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wadsley were Shipyard Fitter and Domestic Duties Private Me.

View Census Data for Wadsley | 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.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Farm Labourer
    32%
  • Railway Clerk
    11%
  • Shipyard Fitter
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    4%
  • Domestic Duties Private Me
    4%

What Wadsley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Wadsley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wadsley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wadsley

Passenger Lists

There are 390 immigration records available for the last name Wadsley. 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 Wadsley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 252 military records available for the last name Wadsley. For the veterans among your Wadsley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wadsley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wadsley family history

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What is the average Wadsley lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Wadsley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Wadsley in 1961 was 57, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wadsley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wadsley 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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