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Wheeley Family History

Wheeley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Weoley Castle in Northfield (Worcestershire) named with Old English wēoh ‘(pre-Christian) temple idol shrine’.

+ lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Wheeley family from?

You can see how Wheeley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wheeley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wheeley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 20 Wheeley families living in Ontario. This was about 59% of all the recorded Wheeley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Wheeley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wheeley 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 Wheeley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Spooler were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wheeley. 32% of Wheeley men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Wheeley women worked as a Spooler. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wheeley were Carpenter and Housewife.

View Census Data for Wheeley | 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
    32%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Spooler
    15%
  • Maid
    15%
  • Stenographer
    15%
  • Housewife
    15%

What Wheeley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Wheeley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wheeley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wheeley

Passenger Lists

There are 339 immigration records available for the last name Wheeley. 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 Wheeley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 552 military records available for the last name Wheeley. For the veterans among your Wheeley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wheeley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wheeley family history

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What is the average Wheeley lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Wheeley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Wheeley in 1961 was 60, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wheeley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wheeley 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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