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Dewey Family History

Dewey Surname Meaning

Welsh: from the personal name Dewi Welsh form of David. In some cases the name may arise from the dedication of parish churches in places called Llanddewi (Saint David's) of which there are several.

Anglicized form of a French Huguenot surname of uncertain form and origin. Traditionally it is recorded as Douai a habitational name from a city so named in northern France but it could also be from Old Norman French du we(z) ‘of the ford’ from a variant of standard French gué ‘ford’.

In some cases also an Americanized form of French Duguay. In some cases possibly also an Americanized form of Dutch De Weij (archaic De Wey): cognate of Van der Weij (see Wey).

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


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Where is the Dewey family from?

You can see how Dewey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dewey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dewey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 281 Dewey families living in Hampshire. This was about 18% of all the recorded Dewey's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Dewey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dewey 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 Dewey 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 Dewey. 11% of Dewey men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Dewey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dewey were Dairy Farmer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Dewey | 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
    11%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Motor Driver
    4%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Dewey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 130,000 census records available for the last name Dewey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dewey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dewey

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Dewey. 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 Dewey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Dewey. For the veterans among your Dewey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dewey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dewey family history

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What is the average Dewey lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Dewey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Dewey in 1941 was 66, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dewey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dewey 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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