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Malay Family History

Malay Surname Meaning

Americanized form of Rusyn (from Slovakia) Mlej: from an imperatival derivative of a dialect form of the verb mlieť ‘to mill’ used as a nickname for miller. Compare Maley 2 and Malley.

Ukrainian: metonymic occupational name from malay ‘bread made of corn, peas, or millet’. Irish: perhaps from Ó Máille see O'Malley.

This form of the surname is very rare in Britain and Ireland and is found mainly in Lancashire, England.

Filipino: nickname from Tagalog malay ‘consciousness, awareness’. Filipino: ethnic name from Tagalog malay ‘Malay’.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Malay family from?

You can see how Malay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Malay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Malay families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 12 Malay families living in Leicestershire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Malay's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Malay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Malay 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 Malay ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Malay. 100% of Malay men worked as a Builders Labourer and 100% of Malay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Malay | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Malay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Malay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Malay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Malay

Passenger Lists

There are 854 immigration records available for the last name Malay. 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 Malay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Malay. For the veterans among your Malay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Malay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Malay family history

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What is the average Malay lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Malay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Malay in 1958 was 28, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Malay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Malay 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Malay family tree

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