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Heckley Family History

Heckley Name Meaning

apparently from Heckley in Embleton (Northumb) though this cannot be certain as no medieval bearers have been found. The place-name is recorded as Hecclive in about 1250 and may derive from Old English hēah ‘high’ + clif ‘cliff bank’. perhaps from Heakley near Bagnall (Staffs) which is recorded as Heekleigh in 1240 and Heckeley in 1572 though the surname may not have survived. The origin of the place-name is uncertain. occasionally a variant of Hickley . Compare Willm Heckley 1617 Jane Hickley 1620 in IGI (Fareham Hants); Richard Hickley 1624 Joane Heckley 1662 in IGI (Bishops Waltham Hants).

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


Similar surnames: Checkley, Heckler, Beckley, Hockley, Heckle, Reckley, Hackley, Eckley

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Where is the Heckley family from?

You can see how Heckley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Heckley family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Heckley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 2 Heckley families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 50% of all the recorded Heckley's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Heckley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Heckley 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 Heckley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Heckley. 47% of Heckley men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Heckley women worked as a Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Heckley | 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
    47%
  • Farm Laborer
    14%
  • Truck Driver
    14%
  • Helper
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Heckley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Heckley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Heckley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Heckley

Passenger Lists

There are 250 immigration records available for the last name Heckley. 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 Heckley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 165 military records available for the last name Heckley. For the veterans among your Heckley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Heckley military records

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What is the average Heckley lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, Heckley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Heckley in 1964 was 75, and 78 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Heckley

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