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Shortley Family History

Shortley Name Meaning

English: habitational name from Shortley in Coventry (Warwickshire). The placename derives from Old English sceort ‘short’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


Similar surnames: Hartley, Wortley, Shockley, Horsley, Thorley, Shorter, Chorley

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 Shortley family from?

You can see how Shortley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shortley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Shortley families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 14 Shortley families living in Iowa. This was about 36% of all the recorded Shortley's in USA. Iowa had the highest population of Shortley families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shortley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shortley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shortley. 34% of Shortley men worked as a Salesman and 100% of Shortley women worked as a Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Shortley | 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
    34%
  • Proprietor
    23%
  • Manager
    23%
  • Clerk
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    100%
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What Shortley family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Shortley

Passenger Lists

There are 228 immigration records available for the last name Shortley. 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 Shortley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 239 military records available for the last name Shortley. For the veterans among your Shortley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shortley military records

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What is the average Shortley lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Shortley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Shortley in 1953 was 47, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shortley

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