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Perley Family History

Perley Name Meaning

English: variant of of Purley . This surname is very rare in Britain. Possibly also a variant of Berley 2 a surname of Swiss German or German origin. Possibly also an Americanized form of some similar-sounding Jewish surname.

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


Similar surnames: Perkey, Berley, Kerley, Pelky, Wehrley, Berkey, Werley, Pefley

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 Perley family from?

You can see how Perley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Perley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 51 Perley families living in Massachusetts. This was about 51% of all the recorded Perley's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Perley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Perley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perley. 22% of Perley men worked as a Salesman and 28% of Perley women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perley were Proprietor and New Worker. .

View Census Data for Perley | 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

  • Salesman
    22%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Proprietor
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    28%
  • Stenographer
    28%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • New Worker
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Perley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Perley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Perley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Perley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Perley. 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 Perley immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Perley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Perley family history

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What is the average Perley lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Perley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Perley in 1955 was 38, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perley

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