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Sailey Family History

Sailey 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: Bailey, Gailey, Saile, Smiley, Salley, Hailey, Ailey, Mailey, Railey

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 Sailey family from?

You can see how Sailey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sailey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sailey families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Sailey families living in Indiana. This was about 50% of all the recorded Sailey's in USA. Indiana had the highest population of Sailey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sailey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Sailey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Helper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sailey. 25% of Sailey men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Sailey women worked as a Helper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sailey were Helper and Manager. .

View Census Data for Sailey | 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
    25%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Miner
    12%
  • Helper
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Helper
    20%
  • Housework
    14%
  • Seamstress
    14%
  • Manager
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sailey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 867 census records available for the last name Sailey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sailey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Sailey

Passenger Lists

There are 297 immigration records available for the last name Sailey. 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 Sailey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 195 military records available for the last name Sailey. For the veterans among your Sailey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sailey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sailey family history

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What is the average Sailey lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2003, in the United States, Sailey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1990, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Sailey in 1968 was 58, and 87 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sailey

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