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Sully Family History

Sully Name Meaning

English: of Norman origin a habitational name from any of the three places called Sully in Calvados (Normandy) Aisne (Picardy) and Loiret (Centre); see 6 below. English: of Norman origin perhaps a habitational name from Sully (Glamorgan). However the placename is manorial in origin from the Norman surname in 1 above which is recorded in Glamorgan in the 12th century. English: habitational name from Old and New Sulehay in Nassington (Northamptonshire). The placename probably derives from an Old English personal name Seofa + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’; however it is not clear whether this name has survived to modern times. English: habitational name from the Isles of Scilly recorded as Sully in the 12th century. The etymology of the name is uncertain and it is not clear whether this surname has survived to modern times. English: habitational name from Sudeley (Gloucestershire) from Old English sūth ‘south southern’ or scydd ‘hovel shed’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. French: habitational name from any of various places called Sully for example in Calvados Loiret Saone-et-Loire and Oise. The first of these is recorded in 1180 as Silleium from the Gallo-Roman personal name Silius or Cilius + the Latin locative suffix -acum. The others are from the Gallo-Roman personal name Sol(l)ius + -acum. This surname is also found in Haiti.

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


Similar surnames: Tilly, Billy, Lilly, Sulla, Tully, Dally, Pulley, Sullo, Gulley

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Where is the Sully family from?

You can see how Sully families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sully family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sully families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 7 Sully families living in New York. This was about 50% of all the recorded Sully's in USA. New York had the highest population of Sully families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sully surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Sully ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sully. 23% of Sully men worked as a Laborer and 19% of Sully women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sully were Farmer and Housework. .

View Census Data for Sully | 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
    23%
  • Salesman
    18%
  • Clerk
    10%
  • Farmer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    19%
  • Teacher
    13%
  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Housework
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sully family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 30,000 census records available for the last name Sully. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sully census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Sully

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Sully. 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 5,000 military records available for the last name Sully. For the veterans among your Sully ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Sully lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Sully life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Sully in 1963 was 62, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sully

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