Wesley Family History

Wesley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called with the Old English elements west ‘west’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’ as for example Westley in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

Westleigh in Devon and Greater Manchester is another notable place with this naming origin.

The combination of these elements signifies a location situated to the west, often involving a wooded area or clearing.

Such names often reflect the geographical features and natural surroundings of the regions they denote.

The use of the Old English language in these names indicates their historical significance and cultural heritage.

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

Similar surnames: Hesley, Webley, Willey, Hensley, Exley, Wheeley, Tenley, Ousley, Welby, Wensley

139K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
16K	Military Records
7K	Immigration Records
95K	Census and Voter Lists
169K	Member Trees

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

Where is the Wesley family from?

You can see how Wesley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wesley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wesley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 195 Wesley families living in Ontario. This was about 33% of all the recorded Wesley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Wesley families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wesley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Wesley

What did your Wesley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Labourer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Wesley. 21% of Wesley men worked as a Farmer and 38% of Wesley women worked as a Labourer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wesley were Laborer and Nil.

View Census Data for Wesley

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.

Farmer

21%

Labourer

18%

Fisherman

Laborer

Labourer

38%

Servant

13%

Nurse

10%

Nil

10%

What Wesley family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 95K census records available for the last name Wesley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wesley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wesley

Passenger List

There are 7K immigration records available for the last name Wesley. 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 Wesley immigration records

Military Records

There are 16K military records available for the last name Wesley. For the veterans among your Wesley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wesley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wesley family history

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What is the average Wesley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Wesley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Wesley in 1944 was 23, and 67 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wesley family tree

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Wesley Surname Meaning

Westleigh in Devon and Greater Manchester is another notable place with this naming origin.

The combination of these elements signifies a location situated to the west, often involving a wooded area or clearing.

Such names often reflect the geographical features and natural surroundings of the regions they denote.

The use of the Old English language in these names indicates their historical significance and cultural heritage.

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

Where is the Wesley family from?

What did your Wesley ancestors do for a living?

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.

Farmer

21%

Labourer

18%

Fisherman

Laborer

Labourer

38%

Servant

13%

Nurse

10%

Nil

10%

What Wesley family records will you find?

What is the average Wesley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Wesley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Wesley in 1944 was 23, and 67 in 2004.

Wesley Family History

Wesley Surname Meaning

429,000 record(s) for Wesley

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

Where is the Wesley family from?

What did your Wesley ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Top Female Occupations In 1921

What Wesley family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Wesley family history

What is the average Wesley lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wesley family tree

Search for another surname

Wesley Surname Meaning

429,000 record(s) for Wesley

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

Where is the Wesley family from?

What did your Wesley ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Top Female Occupations In 1921

What Wesley family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Wesley family history

What is the average Wesley lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wesley family tree

Search for another surname