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Chay Family History

Chay Surname Meaning

Amerindian (Guatemala and Mexico): Mayan name from a term denoting a cultivated nettle (Jatropha aconitifolia) known as chaya. Korean: variant of Chae.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 謝 (see Xie), 蔡 (see Cai), 崔 (see Cui) and 齊 (see Qi).

Cambodian: written ចាយ of Chinese origin (compare 3 above). The surname ចាយ also corresponds to the Khmer word meaning e.g. ‘to disperse’ and archaically ‘newly opened’ (of flower buds).

Cambodian: written ឆាយ same as Chhay.

Jewish (from the Middle East): variant of Hay.

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


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Where is the Chay family from?

You can see how Chay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Chay families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 10 Chay families living in Devon. This was about 37% of all the recorded Chay's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Chay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chay 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 Chay ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Farm Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Chay. 23% of Chay men worked as a Laborer and 15% of Chay women worked as a Farm Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chay were Bookkeeper and Teacher.

View Census Data for Chay | 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
    23%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Cook
    13%
  • Bookkeeper
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Farm Laborer
    15%
  • Maid
    15%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Teacher
    15%

What Chay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Chay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chay

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 339 military records available for the last name Chay. For the veterans among your Chay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chay family history

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What is the average Chay lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Chay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Chay in 1966 was 47, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chay 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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