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Goley Family History

Goley Name Meaning

Irish: from Gaelic Ó Gabhlaigh see Gooley . Americanized form of Slovak Golej: unexplained. Possibly also an Americanized form of Slovenian Golej: variant of Gole .

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


Similar surnames: Golly, Gorley, Golay, Wiley, Poley, Boley, Soley, Moley, Roley, Goldy

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 Goley family from?

You can see how Goley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 2 Goley families living in Kentucky. This was about 25% of all the recorded Goley's in USA. Kentucky and 1 other state had the highest population of Goley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Goley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Goley. 20% of Goley men worked as a Laborer and 25% of Goley women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goley were Weaver and Machine Operator. .

View Census Data for Goley | 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
    20%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Miner
    7%
  • Weaver
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    25%
  • Teacher
    25%
  • Bill Office Clerk
    13%
  • Machine Operator
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Goley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Goley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Goley

Passenger Lists

There are 674 immigration records available for the last name Goley. 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 Goley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 850 military records available for the last name Goley. For the veterans among your Goley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goley military records

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What is the average Goley lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Goley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Goley in 1954 was 40, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goley

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