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Clay Family History

Clay Surname Meaning

English (Midlands and Yorkshire): from Old English clǣg ‘clay’ applied as a topographic name for someone who lived in an area of clay soil.

A habitational name for someone who lived in a district known as (the) Clay, such as the one in east Nottinghamshire.

Or as a metonymic occupational name for a worker in a clay pit (see Clayman).

Americanized form of German Klee.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Clay family from?

You can see how Clay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clay families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,350 Clay families living in Yorkshire. This was about 21% of all the recorded Clay's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Clay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clay 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 Clay ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Clay. 9% of Clay men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Clay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clay were Retired and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Clay | 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

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%
  • Retired
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Clay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 306,000 census records available for the last name Clay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Clay

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Clay. 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 Clay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 53,000 military records available for the last name Clay. For the veterans among your Clay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clay family history

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What is the average Clay lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Clay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Clay in 1941 was 36, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Clay 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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