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Defoy Family History

Defoy Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Deloy, Devoy, Deroy, Defoe, Dejoy, Depoy, Deboy, Dery, Deo, Leroy

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Defoy family from?

You can see how Defoy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Defoy family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Defoy families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 2 Defoy families living in Kent. This was 100% of all the recorded Defoy's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Defoy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Defoy 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 Defoy ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Defoy. 34% of Defoy men worked as a Cultivateur.

View Census Data for Defoy | 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.

Canada shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Cultivateur
    34%
  • Journalier
    23%
  • Cult
    12%
  • Mnuisier
    12%

What Defoy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Defoy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Defoy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Defoy

Passenger Lists

There are 146 immigration records available for the last name Defoy. 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 Defoy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 416 military records available for the last name Defoy. For the veterans among your Defoy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Defoy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Defoy family history

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What is the average Defoy lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2003, in the United States, Defoy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1995, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Defoy in 1948 was 44, and 66 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Defoy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Defoy 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Defoy family tree

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