The Manley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 25,136 people carried this name — #1,413 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,700 people counted. About the same as in 2000 (25,159).

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What the name means

The meaning of the Manley surname

A habitational surname from Old English.

As an English surname, from Old English mæne (“common, shared”) + lēah (“woodland”).

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

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Manley’.

His entry covers Manley, Mandley, Manly and Mandly.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 511 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 21 births for the Manley name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 6 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Cork and Wicklow.”

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

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 9
Munster 7
Connacht 3
Ulster 2

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

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Manley was found among the farmers of Devon: 9 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Devon 9

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

57 families named Manley, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 333 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 19
Vermont 11
Maryland 9
South Carolina 5
Connecticut 4
Pennsylvania 3
New York 2
North Carolina 2
Rhode Island 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 251 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Manley in American newspapers,
1917.

Newspaper page from Mount Vernon Signal carrying the name Manley
Mount Vernon Signal 1917-01-12
Newspaper page from Mount Vernon Signal carrying the name Manley
Mount Vernon Signal 1917-01-19
Newspaper page from Mount Vernon Signal carrying the name Manley
Mount Vernon Signal 1917-02-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 110,232 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Manley in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

14,340 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Manley. The most, 2,093, date from the 1910s. Victoria 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 Tasmania, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 5,860
New South Wales 2,148
Queensland 1,924
Tasmania 1,884
South Australia 1,183
Western Australia 1,139
ACT (Canberra) 134
Northern Territory 12

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

Who carried it

People named Manley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Manley d. 1743 · civil servant
  • Marmaduke Manley d. 1950
  • Edith Annie Middleton d. 1916
  • John Shawe Manley d. 1857
  • Mary Bridget Manley d. 1962
  • Mary Filumena Radcliffe d. 1941

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Manley,
in the records of 6 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 States2,505 records

2,505 records of the Manley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 858
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 472
  • Other U.S. records 1,175
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Hugo W. Manley

    Born 1902 in Finland. Enlisted 1942 at San Francisco, California; carpenter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1951, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Peter Manley

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 23; laborer. From Liverpool, Ireland; bound for Boston.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert W. Manley

    Born 1931; from Columbiana County, Ohio. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1951 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 2,505 records for Manley 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) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia731 records

731 records of the Manley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 326
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 170
  • Other Australian records 235
  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 Mary Manley

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cadet, sailing from London in 1847. Native of Devon. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Manley

    Died 1893 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 78. Will registered in Tasmania in 1893.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Lady Kennaway, aged 45; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 731 records for Manley in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada161 records

161 records of the Manley name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 103
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 17
  • Other Canadian records 41
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Charles Arthur Manley

    Buried in 1992 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 92.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William John Manley

    Died 1927 in Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. 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 Robert William Manley

    Died in service in 1950.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 161 records for Manley in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom34 records

34 records of the Manley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 24
  • Welsh wills index cards 5
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Manley

    Buried in 1849 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 48.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Hugh Pearse Manley

    Will proved in 1878; of Carnarvon, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. W. Manley

    Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 34 records for Manley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · 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: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France3 records

3 records of the Manley 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 Peter Stuart Manley

    Born 1943 in Great Britain; died 1996 in Brest (Finistère).

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

    Born 1916 in Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais); died 1989 in Saint-André (Pyrénées-Orientales).

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

    Born 1904 in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime); died 1984 in Pontoise (Val-d'Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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 Zealand1 record

1 record of the Manley 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 John Charles Manley

    Died 1942, aged 62; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

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 Manley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Manley 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.

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