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Harley Family History

Harley Name Meaning

English: habitational name from either of two places called Harley (Shropshire Yorkshire). The Shropshire placename derives from Old English hær ‘rock heap of stones’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. The Yorkshire placename derives from Old English hara ‘hare’ or hær + hlāw ‘mound hill’ later replaced by lēah. Irish (Donegal): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hEarghaile ‘descendant of Earghal’ a variant of the personal name Fearghal without the initial F-. This name has also become Herley and Hurley . Compare Arrell and Harrell . Scottish (Fife): habitational name from any of several places called Harlaw in Midlothian Peeblesshire and Berwickshire named in Older Scots with hare ‘gray’ + law ‘hill’.

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


Similar surnames: Hartley, Hanley, Hurley, Halley, Hadley, Harle, Barley, Harvey

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Where is the Harley family from?

You can see how Harley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Harley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Harley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 238 Harley families living in Ontario. This was about 46% of all the recorded Harley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Harley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Harley 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 Harley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Harley. 37% of Harley men worked as a Farmer and 38% of Harley women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harley were Student and Student. .

View Census Data for Harley | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Labourer
    17%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Student
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    38%
  • Servant
    13%
  • Helper
    9%
  • Student
    9%
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What Harley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 156,000 census records available for the last name Harley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Harley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Harley

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Harley. 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 Harley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 military records available for the last name Harley. For the veterans among your Harley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Harley lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Harley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Harley in 1942 was 37, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Harley

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