History of your Surname
Get access to Bely family records.Start a free trial

Bely Family History

Bely Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Bell, Bly, Bel, Bey, Belt, Ely, Belz, Belo, Beld, Bily

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Bely family from?

You can see how Bely families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bely family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Bely families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 3 Bely families living in Rhode Island. This was about 38% of all the recorded Bely's in USA. Rhode Island had the highest population of Bely families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bely surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Bely ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bely. 40% of Bely men worked as a Farmer and 29% of Bely women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bely were Salesman and Maid. .

View Census Data for Bely | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    40%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farming
    10%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    29%
  • Farm Laborer
    22%
  • Housework
    22%
  • Maid
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bely family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Bely. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bely census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Bely

Passenger Lists

There are 457 immigration records available for the last name Bely. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bely immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 254 military records available for the last name Bely. For the veterans among your Bely ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bely military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bely family history

Discover More

What is the average Bely lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2003, in the United States, Bely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Bely in 1956 was 43, and 77 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bely

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bely family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Bely last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial