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Sobey Family History

Sobey Name Meaning

English (Cornwall and Devon): perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Soby of uncertain origin. It could derive from the rare Old French name Sob(b)o a pet form of ancient Germanic names like Sudbald and Sudbert (composed of the elements sud- ‘south’ + -bald ‘bold’ and -bert ‘bright’). A habitational name from a shortened form of Sobbery a Middle English form of Sodbury Gloucestershire (see Sudbury ) is also formally possible but no evidence has been found that definitely links the two names. This surname is found in Cornwall from the late 13th century.

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


Similar surnames: Sorey, Obey, Cobey, Soley, Sabey, Sober, Robey, Sebby, Dobey, Coby

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Where is the Sobey family from?

You can see how Sobey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sobey family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Sobey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 102 Sobey families living in Cornwall. This was about 26% of all the recorded Sobey's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Sobey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sobey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Sobey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Sobey. 39% of Sobey men worked as a Farmer and 75% of Sobey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sobey were Farmer Working Principal and Household Duties. .

View Census Data for Sobey | 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

  • Farmer
    39%
  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Dairyman
    16%
  • Farmer Working Principal
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Household Duties
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sobey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Sobey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sobey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sobey

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Sobey. 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 Sobey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Sobey. For the veterans among your Sobey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Sobey lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Sobey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Sobey in 1949 was 46, and 93 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sobey

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