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

Similar surnames: Cay, Chan, Chai, Chau, Che, Chae, Chao, Cham, Shay, Hak

38K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
339	Military Records
1K	Immigration Records
3K	Census and Voter Lists
1K	Member Trees

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

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.

View Census Data for Chay

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.

Laborer

23%

Farmer

20%

Cook

13%

Bookkeeper

10%

Farm laborer

15%

Maid

15%

Farmer

15%

Teacher

15%

What Chay family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 3K 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 List

There are 1K 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

Military Records

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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Chay family tree

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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 ឆាយ same as Chhay.

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

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

Where is the Chay family from?

What did your Chay ancestors do for a living?

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.

Laborer

23%

Farmer

20%

Cook

13%

Bookkeeper

10%

Farm laborer

15%

Maid

15%

Farmer

15%

Teacher

15%

What Chay family records will you find?

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.

Chay Family History

Chay Surname Meaning

46,000 record(s) for Chay

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

Where is the Chay family from?

What did your Chay ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Top Female Occupations In 1940

What Chay family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Chay family history

What is the average Chay lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Chay family tree

Search for another surname

Chay Surname Meaning

46,000 record(s) for Chay

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

Where is the Chay family from?

What did your Chay ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Top Female Occupations In 1940

What Chay family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Chay family history

What is the average Chay lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Chay family tree

Search for another surname