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Gainey Family History

Gainey Surname Meaning

Irish (Cork): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Geigheannaigh or Mac Géibheannaigh ‘son (or descendant) of Géibheannach’

a byname meaning ‘fettered’.

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


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Where is the Gainey family from?

You can see how Gainey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gainey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gainey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 61 Gainey families living in Wiltshire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Gainey's in United Kingdom. Wiltshire had the highest population of Gainey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gainey 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 Gainey 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 Gainey. 34% of Gainey men worked as a General Labourer and 85% of Gainey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gainey were Dock Labourer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Gainey | 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
    34%
  • Postman
    23%
  • Colliery Hewer
    23%
  • Dock Labourer
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Domestic Servant
    5%
  • Parlour Maid
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Gainey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Gainey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gainey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gainey

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Gainey. For the veterans among your Gainey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gainey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gainey family history

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What is the average Gainey lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Gainey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Gainey in 1950 was 31, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gainey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gainey 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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