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Reilly Family History

Reilly Name Meaning

Irish: from Ó Raghailligh see O'Reilly .

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


Similar surnames: O'reilly, Neill, Kelly, Crilly, Reidy, Rahilly, Rella, Neally, Reily

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Reilly family from?

You can see how Reilly families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reilly family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Reilly families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 15 Reilly families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 34% of all the recorded Reilly's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Reilly families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reilly surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Reilly ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Reilly. 9% of Reilly men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Reilly women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Reilly were Truck Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Reilly | 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
    9%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Housewife
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Reilly family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 291,000 census records available for the last name Reilly. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Reilly census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Reilly

Passenger Lists

There are 94,000 immigration records available for the last name Reilly. 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 Reilly immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 64,000 military records available for the last name Reilly. For the veterans among your Reilly ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reilly military records

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What is the average Reilly lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Reilly life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Reilly in 1940 was 41, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reilly

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