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Blay Family History

Blay Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from Old French bloi ‘blond’ or a habitational name from a placename perhaps by metanalysis from Blois in Loir-et-Cher France. English: perhaps a nickname from Middle English blæth ‘bare destitute wretched’. Catalan: variant of Blasi . This surname is also found in southern France (Pyrénées-Orientales). French: habitational name from a place so named in Calvados. Americanized form of French Blais .

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


Similar surnames: Bly, Lay, Blye, Blan, Klay, Bay, Bley, Bray, Clay, Blau

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Blay family from?

You can see how Blay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Blay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Blay families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 185 Blay families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Blay's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Blay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Blay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Blay ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Blay. 21% of Blay men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Blay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Blay were Plumber and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Blay | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    21%
  • Gardener
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    9%
  • Plumber
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Blay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Blay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Blay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Blay

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Blay. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Blay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Blay. For the veterans among your Blay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Blay military records

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What is the average Blay lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Blay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1995, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Blay in 1952 was 46, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Blay

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