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Spry Family History

Spry Surname Meaning

English (Devon and Cornwall) is a habitational name from Sprytown in Stowford (Devon), derived from the Old English term sprǣg, meaning ‘brushwood twigs’.

The name also incorporates a later addition of the modern English word town to describe the location.

Sprytown is a notable example of how place names can reflect the natural features of the environment.

Furthermore, this name serves as a variant of Spray, illustrating the evolution of language over time.

Overall, the name encapsulates regional history and linguistic change in the Devon and Cornwall areas.

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


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Where is the Spry family from?

You can see how Spry families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spry family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Spry families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 352 Spry families living in Devon. This was about 38% of all the recorded Spry's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Spry families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spry 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 Spry ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Spry. 22% of Spry men worked as a Farmer and 73% of Spry women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spry were Painter and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Spry | 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

  • Farmer
    22%
  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Gardener
    13%
  • Painter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Spry family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 39,000 census records available for the last name Spry. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spry census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Spry

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Spry. 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 Spry immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Spry. For the veterans among your Spry ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spry military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spry family history

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What is the average Spry lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Spry life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Spry in 1946 was 44, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spry

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Spry 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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