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Burnley Family History

Burnley Name Meaning

English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from Burnley in Lancashire so named with the Old English river name Brun (from brūn ‘brown’ or burna ‘stream’) + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


Similar surnames: Burley, Burney, Bursley, Barley, Durley, Buckley, Hurley, Bulley

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 Burnley family from?

You can see how Burnley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Burnley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Burnley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 12 Burnley families living in Virginia. This was about 38% of all the recorded Burnley's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Burnley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Burnley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Burnley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Burnley. 30% of Burnley men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Burnley women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Burnley were Mechanic and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Burnley | 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

  • Farmer
    30%
  • Laborer
    26%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Mechanic
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Maid
    9%
  • Teacher
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Burnley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Burnley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Burnley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Burnley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Burnley. 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 Burnley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Burnley. For the veterans among your Burnley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Burnley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Burnley family history

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What is the average Burnley lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Burnley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Burnley in 1957 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Burnley

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