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Duffy Family History

Duffy Surname Meaning

Irish:: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Dubhthaigh ‘descendant of Dubhthach’ a byname derived from dubh ‘black’ (see Duff). This name was borne by a 6th-century Christian saint who was archbishop of Armagh.

Shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe ‘son of Duibhshíth’ a personal name composed of the elements dubh ‘black’ (see Duff) + síth ‘peace’.

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


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Where is the Duffy family from?

You can see how Duffy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Duffy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Duffy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,987 Duffy families living in Lancashire. This was about 46% of all the recorded Duffy's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Duffy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Duffy 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 Duffy 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 Duffy. 21% of Duffy men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Duffy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Duffy were Dock Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Duffy | 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%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Dock Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Duffy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 354,000 census records available for the last name Duffy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Duffy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Duffy

Passenger Lists

There are 86,000 immigration records available for the last name Duffy. 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 Duffy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 62,000 military records available for the last name Duffy. For the veterans among your Duffy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Duffy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Duffy family history

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What is the average Duffy lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Duffy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Duffy in 1941 was 29, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Duffy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Duffy 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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