The Corley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 17,931 people carried this name — #2,012 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 16,400 people counted. That is up 2% from 17,609 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Corley surname

From Old English *corn (“crane”), genitive plural, *corna + lēah (“woodland clearing”), 'the cranes' wood or clearing'.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Corley» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 6 births for the Corley name in 1890.

Most were registered in Connacht. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Connacht 3
Leinster 2
Ulster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In print

Corley in American newspapers,
1912–1920.

Newspaper page from News And Citizen carrying the name Corley
News And Citizen 1916-01-19
Newspaper page from The Mountainair Independent carrying the name Corley
The Mountainair Independent 1920-03-18
Newspaper page from Orleans County Monitor carrying the name Corley
Orleans County Monitor 1912-07-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 41,634 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Corley in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1990s.

2,397 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Corley. The most, 385, date from the 1940s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 881
South Australia 640
Victoria 368
New South Wales 358
Western Australia 106
Tasmania 26
ACT (Canberra) 12
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Corley.

Who carried it

People named Corley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Quentin Durward Corley
    Quentin Durward Corley 1884–1980 · judge
  • John Thomas Corley
    John Thomas Corley 1914–1977 · military personnel
  • Manuel S. Corley 1823–1902 · politician
  • Harry Corley 1878–1936 · rugby union match official
  • Kenneth Corley 1908–2005 · industrialist
  • Hugh Vanner Corley 1914– · botanist

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Corley,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,459 records

1,459 records of the Corley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 715
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 237
  • Other U.S. records 507
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James R. Corley

    Born 1922 in Louisiana. Enlisted 1942 at Tyler, Texas; construction worker from Shelby County, Texas. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Chalk Hill Cemetery, Henderson, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Freddie C. Corley

    Born 1931; from Young County, Texas. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1950 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John F. Corley

    Arrived at New York in 1882 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 17; laborer. From Queenstown, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,459 records for Corley in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia131 records

131 records of the Corley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 64
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 55
  • Other Australian records 12
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Corley

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lady East, sailing from Falmouth in 1824. Native of Monaghan.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas Corley

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Swiftsure, aged 25; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Patrick Corley

    Laborer of E Melbne, Victoria; died 1919.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 131 records for Corley in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada10 records

10 records of the Corley name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • Other Canadian records 5
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Alvan Bertram Corley

    Died 1969; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record William Arthur Corley

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Robert Corley

    Married 1913 in Liverpool, Queens, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 10 records for Corley in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Ireland9 records

9 records of the Corley name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret M. Corley

    Died 1972, aged 91; buried at Dunmore, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Michael Corley

    Died 1940; buried at Athenry Heritage Centre, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Michael Corley

    Died 1951; buried at Killererin (Old), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Corley in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom8 records

8 records of the Corley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. S. Corley

    Labour Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Corley

    Gunner, Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. Corley

    Royal Scots. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Corley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France5 records

5 records of the Corley name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Diany Janine Corley

    Born 1918 in Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines); died 2000 in Saint-Julien-de-Cassagnas (Gard).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Georges Auguste Alphonse Corley

    Born 1907 in Rouen (Seine-Maritime); died 1990 in Casteljaloux (Lot-et-Garonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Willy William Corley

    Born 1920 in Paris; died 1980 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Corley in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Corley name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ada Rebecca Corley

    Died 1931, aged 47; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 4 records for Corley in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Corley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Corley is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Corley volume
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