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Corley History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Corley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The Corley surname is an Anglicization, derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac Toirdhealbhaigh."

Early Origins of the Corley family

The surname Corley was first found in the Connacht counties of Galway and Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where the places names Ballymacurley and Curley's Island can be found. There is also legend in Ireland, that the name descends from Maolduin, the second son of the 164th Monarch of Ireland, who founded the clanns of Muldoon. Maolduin's great, great grandson was Clercen, whose name means "curly one." Clercen founded the Clan O'Cleircen, which anglicized is Curley or Curling.

Early History of the Corley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Corley research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1305 is included under the topic Early Corley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Corley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Corley, MacCorley, Curley, Curlee, Curling, Kirley, McKerley, McCurley, McCurly and many more.

Early Notables of the Corley family

More information is included under the topic Early Corley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Corley Ranking

In the United States, the name Corley is the 1,592^nd most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1

Corley migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Corley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Corley, who was among Thomase given a land patent in Virginia in 1675-76

Corley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

N Corley, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
Bridget Corley, aged 20, who settled in America, in 1896
Cyrus C. Corley, aged 53, who immigrated to America, in 1896
Felix Corley, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Monaghan, in 1899
Alice Corley, aged 22, who landed in America from Castleblarney, in 1899

Corley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ann Corley, aged 26, who immigrated to the United States from Ballyvary, in 1900
Anne Corley, aged 19, who landed in America from Castlebar, in 1901
Annes Haven Corley, aged 25, who settled in America from London, in 1905
Celia Corley, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from County Mayo, in 1905
Annie Corley, aged 26, who landed in America from Ballymote, Ireland, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Corley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Corley Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Patrick Corley, who was recorded in 1843 in Nova Scotia Canada, when he registered his support for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1801 which had Ireland under British rule
Ms. Margaret Corley, aged 23 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Sarah" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 3

Corley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Corley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Isaac Corley, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1841
Mr. Isaac Corley, (b. 1817), aged 23, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Olympus" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th April 1841 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Corley (post 1700) +

Buster Corley (1951-2023), American co-founder of Dave & Buster's, an American restaurant and entertainment business headquartered in Dallas
DeMarcus Deon Corley (b. 1974), American professional boxer who held the WBO junior welterweight title from 2001 to 2003
Donald Corley (1886-1955), American author of short stories, illustrator and architect
Edwin Raymond Corley (1931-1981), American novelist
General John D. W. Corley, American general, 32nd Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Brigadier General John T. Corley (1914-1977), American career Army officer noted for his contributions to Army training
Pat Corley (1930-2006), American actor, best known for his role as Phil on the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown from 1988 to 1996
Al Corley (b. 1956), American actor, singer and producer
Harry Cecil Corley (1878-1936), Irish sportsman and sport official
Terrance Corley Burrus, American keyboardist, composer, record producer, conductor

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 21)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html