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Fairley Family History

Fairley Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from any of several places called from Old English fæger ‘beautiful’ or fearn ‘fern’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. Primarily from Fairlie in Ayrshire but perhaps occasionally from other places similarly named such as Fairley (Northumberland) Fairlee in Newport (Isle of Wight) and Fairliehope (Linton Peeblesshire). A Scots family once known as de Ros adopted the name Fairlie when granted lands at Fairlie Ayrshire by Robert the Bruce. Irish: variant of Farrelly from Ó Fearghaile.

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


Similar surnames: Farley, Fairey, Barley, Fadley, Varley, Darley, Gailey, Fawley

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Fairley family from?

You can see how Fairley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fairley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fairley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 11 Fairley families living in New York. This was about 31% of all the recorded Fairley's in USA. New York had the highest population of Fairley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fairley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Fairley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Fairley. 26% of Fairley men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Fairley women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fairley were Truck Driver and Maid. .

View Census Data for Fairley | 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

  • Laborer
    26%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Farming
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Cook
    12%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Maid
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Fairley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Fairley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fairley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Fairley

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Fairley. 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 Fairley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Fairley. For the veterans among your Fairley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fairley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fairley family history

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What is the average Fairley lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Fairley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Fairley in 1948 was 34, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fairley

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