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Surly Family History

Surly 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: Sully, Surls, Bury, Early, Dury, Murley, Turley, Jury, Gurley, Curley

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 Surly family from?

You can see how Surly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Surly family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Surly families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Surly families living in Indiana. This was about 67% of all the recorded Surly's in USA. Indiana had the highest population of Surly families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Surly surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Surly ancestors do for a living?

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Surly ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

What Surly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 184 census records available for the last name Surly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Surly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Surly

Passenger Lists

There are 28 immigration records available for the last name Surly. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 23 military records available for the last name Surly. For the veterans among your Surly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Surly military records

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What is the average Surly lifespan?

Between 1974 and 1994, in the United States, Surly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Surly in 1974 was 26, and 69 in 1994.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Surly

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Surly family tree

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