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Southey Family History

Southey Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places called Southey, especially one in Culmstock (Devon), which is named with Middle English bi south ey ‘(place) to the south of the water’.

Southey in Ecclesfield (Yorkshire) and Southey Green in Sible Hedingham (Essex) are from Middle English south hey ‘south enclosure’.

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


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Where is the Southey family from?

You can see how Southey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Southey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Southey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 170 Southey families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Southey's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Southey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Southey 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 Southey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Retired and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Southey. 17% of Southey men worked as a Retired and 70% of Southey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Southey were Carter and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Southey | 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

  • Retired
    17%
  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Carter
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Private Means
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Southey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Southey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Southey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Southey

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Southey. For the veterans among your Southey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Southey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Southey family history

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What is the average Southey lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Southey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Southey in 1962 was 77, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Southey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Southey 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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