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Cooley Family History & Genealogy

14,833 biographies and 33 photos with the Cooley last name. Discover the family history, nationality, origin and common names of Cooley family members.

Cooley Last Name History & Origin

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History

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Name Origin

An Internet search will disclose many opinions about the origins of the name "Cooley." We will probably never know for sure which is the truest origin. Perhaps there is truth in all of them. The one that seems most logical is the one where Cooley became a phoenetic contraction of "cow lea." - cow (bovine animal), and lea (field or meadow). In which case the original usage would have applied to the man who tended or raised cows - a farmer.

Spellings & Pronunciations

If we examine the parish records (St. Albans) in Tring, Hertfordshire, England wherein is recorded the baptism of Benjamin Cooley on 25 Feb 1615/16, we will note that his surname as recorded is Coley. In the Colonial records of New England, Benjamin consistently used Cooley. However, the parish records record the spelling differently for the births of each of Benjamin's siblings with the following variations: Colley (sister Ledia), Coolye (sister Pheobe), Collye (brother Jonathan), Colley (brother Joseph), Coley (twin sisters Anne and Joyce). When Benjamin's mother was buried, it is recorded Coalye.

Clearly consistent spelling of the recorded individual's surname was not a priority with the priests and clerks of the time.

Descendants of Samuel Cooley (and Samuel himself) use mostly the Coley and Cooley variants.

Nationality & Ethnicity

In early Colonial America, two "Cooleys" are found in the records of the time. Benjamin Cooley is first mentioned in the Vital Records of Springfield in Massachusetts Bay Colony upon the birth of his daughter in 1643. He was born in Tring, Hertfordshire, England in 1615/16 to William Cooley.

Samuel Cooley is found in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1631. He later removed to Milford, Colony of Connecticut as one of the original planters in 1639. His origins are also English.

There were other Cooley-surnamed immigrants, but it is generally agreed that Benjamin and Samuel are the first.

(NOTE: There has been no genealogical connection found between these two men and DNA testing on descendants suggests they share no common ancestor for many generations.)

Famous People named Cooley

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Early Cooleys

These are the earliest records we have of the Cooley family.

Eleanor Cooley was born on September 4, 1757 in Brimfield, MA, and died at age 67 years old on March 6, 1825 at Brimfield, Hampden Co, MA.. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Eleanor Cooley.
John Cooley of Australia was born in 1800, and died at age 57 years old in 1857.
Thomas Todd Cooley
Thomas Todd Cooley was born on August 6, 1805 in Hertfordshire County, England United Kingdom, and was the father of Thomas Charles Cooley. Thomas Cooley died at age 81 years old on September 22, 1886 in Hobart, TAS Australia. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Thomas Todd Cooley.
Chloe Cooley was born on July 31, 1808 at Brimfield, Hampden, MA, and died at age 25 years old on November 4, 1833. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Chloe Cooley.
George Cooley of Australia was born in 1809, and died at age 52 years old in 1861.
Patrick Cooley of Melbourne South Australia was born in 1814, and died at age 86 years old in 1900 in Melbourne South.
Willm Cooley of Yarra Bend Australia was born in 1819, and died at age 63 years old in 1882 in Yarra Bend.
Samuel Smith Cooley of Australia was born in 1821, and died at age 37 years old in 1858.
Ann Elizabeth Cooley of Ydah Australia was born in 1826 to Morse Thomas George Cooley and Elizabeth Waterhouse Cooley. She had a sister Janetta Hall. Ann Cooley died at age 80 years old in 1906 in Ydah.
Henry  Cooley
Henry Cooley was born on September 23, 1826. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Henry Cooley.
George Cooley of Australia was born in 1827, and died at age 47 years old in 1874.
William Cooley of Ydah Australia was born in 1831, and died at age 73 years old in 1904 in Ydah.

Cooley Family Photos

Discover Cooley family photos shared by the community. These photos contain people and places related to the Cooley last name.

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Cooley Family Tree

Discover the most common names, oldest records and life expectancy of people with the last name Cooley.

Most Common First Names

Updated Cooley Biographies

Barbra Ann (Cooley) Bettis
Barbra Ann (Cooley) Bettis was born circa October 21, 1931. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Barbra Ann (Cooley) Bettis.
Paula Diane (Ricketts) Norton Cooley was born on July 24, 1941 in Danville, Virginia United States to Paul Zebedee Ricketts and Mary Louise (Tarpley) Ricketts, and had a brother Jeral Keith Ricketts. Paula Norton Cooley died at age 79 years old on August 10, 2020. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Paula Diane Ricketts Norton Cooley.
Rita Faye (Hook) Cooley was born on July 26, 1970 in United States. Rita cooley was in a relationship with Ronnie dale Meeks, and has a child Rachelle Ann (Meeks). Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Rita Faye cooley .
Deborah Cooley was born on January 29, 1952, and died at age 32 years old in August 1984. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Deborah Cooley.
Chloe Cooley was born on July 31, 1808 at Brimfield, Hampden, MA, and died at age 25 years old on November 4, 1833. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Chloe Cooley.
Harold C Cooley Sr of East Islip, Suffolk County, NY was born on May 30, 1926, and died at age 75 years old on September 11, 2001. Harold Cooley was buried at Calverton National Cemetery Section 11 Site 917 210 Princeton Boulevard - Rt 25, in Calverton.
Harold A Cooley of Beachwood, Cuyahoga County, OH was born on January 5, 1925, and died at age 78 years old on July 16, 2003.
Harold G Cooley of Marlborough, Hartford County, CT was born on May 29, 1923, and died at age 85 years old on January 4, 2009.
Harold M Cooley of Forest Grove, Washington County, OR was born on February 22, 1913, and died at age 79 years old on August 16, 1992. Harold Cooley was buried at Willamette National Cemetery Section D Site 3410 11800 Se Mt. Scott Boulevard, in Portland.
Harold F Cooley of Douglass, Butler County, KS was born on April 2, 1923, and died at age 77 years old on July 26, 2000.
Harold D Cooley of Middletown, Frederick County, VA was born on November 30, 1921, and died at age 81 years old on December 23, 2002.
Harold R Cooley of Verplanck, Westchester County, NY was born on January 14, 1916, and died at age 79 years old on May 8, 1995.
Olan Cooley of Bagdad, Santa Rosa County, FL was born on September 14, 1913, and died at age 80 years old on February 3, 1994.
Saul Cooley of Gulfport, Harrison County, MS was born on March 1, 1915, and died at age 81 years old on November 9, 1996. Saul Cooley was buried at Biloxi National Cemetery Section 61 Site 105 P.o. Box 4968 - Pass Road, in Biloxi.
Saul G Cooley of Leeds, Jefferson County, AL was born on February 2, 1915, and died at age 88 years old on July 19, 2003.
Elwood W Cooley of Skowhegan, Somerset County, ME was born on February 26, 1922, and died at age 87 years old on January 12, 2010.
Johnny I Cooley of Winona, Shannon County, MO was born on November 13, 1927, and died at age 71 years old on December 8, 1998.
Verle L Cooley of Burdett, Pawnee County, KS was born on April 19, 1925, and died at age 78 years old on October 11, 2003.
Karen Sue Cooley of Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas was born on September 24, 1966, and died at age 41 years old on March 6, 2008.
Janice Marie Cooley of Texas was born on August 14, 1953, and died at age 56 years old on April 18, 2010.

Popular Cooley Biographies

Lillie (Cooley) King
Lillie (Cooley) King was born circa July 5, 1898. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lillie (Cooley) King.
Augusta Ann (Chapman) Cooley
Augusta Ann (Chapman) Cooley of Melbourne Australia was born in 1862 in Hobart, TAS. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Augusta Ann (Chapman) Cooley.
Chloe Cooley was born on July 31, 1808 at Brimfield, Hampden, MA, and died at age 25 years old on November 4, 1833. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Chloe Cooley.
Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Wesley Raymond Cooley.
Barbra Ann (Cooley) Bettis
Barbra Ann (Cooley) Bettis was born circa October 21, 1931. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Barbra Ann (Cooley) Bettis.
Excell Cooley died in Buffalo, Erie County, New York United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Excell Cooley.
Dan L Cooley of Yakima, Yakima County, WA was born on October 19, 1958, and died at age 50 years old on March 6, 2009.
John N Cooley of Kingman County, Kansas United States was born circa 1923. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John N Cooley.
Donald R Cooley of Acworth, Cherokee County, GA was born on August 7, 1937, and died at age 64 years old on August 17, 2001.
Mary Alice (Cooley) Toole of Houston, Harris County, Texas United States, was in a relationship with Charles Chetwin Toole, and has children Suzanne (Toole) Davis Bartosh Magliola Bennett Buckner Cornelius LaFave, Alice Toole, Timothy Toole, Charlotte Toole, and Charles Toole. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mary Alice Toole.
Jane M Cooley of Worcester, Otsego County, NY was born on September 13, 1923, and died at age 70 years old on January 18, 1994.
Claudette Louise (Cooley) Wald was born on September 13, 1933 in San Diego, San Diego County, California United States, and died at age 66 years old on May 25, 2000 in Jacksonville, Duval County, FL. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Claudette Louise (Cooley) Wald.
Gerald Manford Cooley of Washington, Washington County, Kansas was born on July 30, 1917 in Llanos township, Sherman County, and died at age 93 years old on February 13, 2011 in Marysville, Marshall County. Gerald Cooley was buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Blue Rapids.
Jerald B Cooley of Ajo, Pima County, AZ was born on February 9, 1954, and died at age 56 years old on January 22, 2011.
Fannie L Mckeever
Fannie Louise (Cooley) Mckeever of Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ was born on January 5, 1946 to Joe Louis Cooley and Pinkie Lee Whitmore. She was the mother of Sandra M Bell, Angela Yvette McKeever, and Tiante L Chambers. Fannie Mckeever died at age 44 years old on September 14, 1990, and was buried circa September 19, 1990.
Thomas Todd Cooley
Thomas Todd Cooley was born on August 6, 1805 in Hertfordshire County, England United Kingdom, and was the father of Thomas Charles Cooley. Thomas Cooley died at age 81 years old on September 22, 1886 in Hobart, TAS Australia. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Thomas Todd Cooley.
Rudolph H Cooley III was born on September 24, 1964. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Rudolph H Cooley III.
Eleanor Cooley was born on September 4, 1757 in Brimfield, MA, and died at age 67 years old on March 6, 1825 at Brimfield, Hampden Co, MA.. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Eleanor Cooley.
Martha E Cooley
Martha E Cooley was born on February 23, 1861. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Martha E Cooley.

Cooley Death Records & Life Expectancy

The average age of a Cooley family member is 72.0 years old according to our database of 12,140 people with the last name Cooley that have a birth and death date listed.

Life Expectancy

72.0 years

Oldest Cooleys

These are the longest-lived members of the Cooley family on AncientFaces.

Stella K Cooley of Canton, Stark County, OH was born on November 6, 1897, and died at age 110 years old on June 23, 2008.
110 years
Cora Cooley of Petersburg, Petersburg City County, VA was born on December 11, 1898, and died at age 108 years old on August 26, 2007.
108 years
Myrtie Cooley of Taft, Kern County, CA was born on May 10, 1900, and died at age 107 years old on February 7, 2008.
107 years
Minnie D Cooley of Rome, Floyd County, GA was born on June 4, 1890, and died at age 107 years old on August 18, 1997.
107 years
Lorena A Cooley of Fowler, Benton County, IN was born on September 7, 1901, and died at age 105 years old on February 18, 2007.
105 years
Grace Cooley of Luzerne, Oscoda County, Michigan was born on October 31, 1875, and died at age 105 years old in January 1981.
105 years
Elsie Cooley was born on October 6, 1886, and died at age 105 years old in October 1991. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Elsie Cooley.
104 years
Ida M Cooley of Denver, Jefferson County, CO was born on January 22, 1890, and died at age 105 years old on August 29, 1995.
105 years
Cecile F Cooley of Newcastle, McClain County, OK was born on October 31, 1901, and died at age 105 years old on December 14, 2006.
105 years
Anna Cooley of Ada, Hardin County, Ohio was born on September 27, 1867, and died at age 105 years old in December 1972.
105 years
Leona M Cooley of Hyattsville, Prince Georges County, MD was born on January 6, 1906, and died at age 105 years old on August 15, 2011.
105 years
Janie Cooley of Marion, Marion County, South Carolina was born on January 16, 1904, and died at age 105 years old on May 26, 2009.
105 years
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Eli Garrett Cooley married Effie Ann Mills on 7/5/1804, and eight children Ella, Lucile and Louise(Twins), Bertha, Mitchell, Woodrow, Edith, and Garrett(Bud)were created. The family lived on a farm in Montgomery County, MD.Eli Garrett was the son of Amos Cooley, and had a brother James and sister Sarah. I am still researching to see if there were more siblings of Eli Garrett Cooley.

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