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Kley Family History

Kley Name Meaning

topographic name for someone living on heavy soil, from Middle Low German klei ‘clay’. habitational name from any of various places named Kley or Klei, notably in Westphalia, of uncertain origin. from the personal name Kley, a Franconian derivative of the saint’s name Eligius, or alternatively from a Rhenish short form of the personal name Nikolaus. Americanized spelling of Klee.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Ley, Iley, Klee, Eley, Krey, Klem, Oley, Fey, Kyles, Keel

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Kley family from?

You can see how Kley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kley families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 10 Kley families living in Ontario. This was about 91% of all the recorded Kley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Kley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kley 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 Kley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Kley. 13% of Kley men worked as a Farmer and 21% of Kley women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kley were Clerk and Typist.

View Census data for Kley | 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
    13%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations in 1940

  • Housewife
    21%
  • Clerk
    17%
  • Stenographer
    17%
  • Typist
    13%
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What Kley family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Kley

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Kley. 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 Kley immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Kley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kley family history.

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What is the average Kley lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Kley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Kley in 1951 was 42, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kley

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