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Cathey Family History

Cathey Surname Meaning

Scottish: shortened form of MacCathie, a Galloway surname of unexplained etymology, also spelled McCathen (from Mac Cathain).

Alternatively, it may be a variant of McCaughey.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cathey family from?

You can see how Cathey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cathey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cathey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 22 Cathey families living in Lancashire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Cathey's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Cathey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cathey 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 Cathey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Cathey. 89% of Cathey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Cathey | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    12%

What Cathey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Cathey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cathey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cathey

Passenger Lists

There are 775 immigration records available for the last name Cathey. 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 Cathey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Cathey. For the veterans among your Cathey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cathey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cathey family history

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What is the average Cathey lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Cathey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Cathey in 1944 was 40, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cathey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cathey ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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