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Szalay Family History

Szalay Surname Meaning

Hungarian: habitational name for someone from Zala County in western Hungary (its name derives from the name of the river Zala).

Alternatively, it may be a habitational name from a place called Szala.

Compare Salay.

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 Szalay family from?

You can see how Szalay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Szalay family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1891 and 1920. The most Szalay families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Szalay family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Szalay's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Szalay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Szalay 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 Szalay ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Szalay. 37% of Szalay men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Szalay women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Szalay were Molder and Sewing.

View Census Data for Szalay | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    37%
  • Machinist
    9%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Molder
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    34%
  • Nurses Aid
    34%
  • Sewing
    34%

What Szalay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Szalay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Szalay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Szalay

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Szalay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Szalay family history

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What is the average Szalay lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Szalay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Szalay in 1955 was 37, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Szalay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Szalay 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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