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Formby Family History

Formby Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Formby on Merseyside Lancashire from Old Norse forn ‘old’ (or perhaps a byname Forni with this meaning)

+ bȳ ‘farm settlement’.

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


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Where is the Formby family from?

You can see how Formby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Formby family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Formby families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 321 Formby families living in Lancashire. This was about 83% of all the recorded Formby's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Formby families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Formby 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 Formby 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 Formby. 32% of Formby men worked as a General Labourer and 82% of Formby women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Formby were Butchers Sales Assistant and Housewife.

View Census Data for Formby | 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
    32%
  • Joiner
    16%
  • Poultry Farmer
    11%
  • Butchers Sales Assistant
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Unpaid House Duties
    3%
  • Domestic Duties Unpaid
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Formby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Formby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Formby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Formby

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Formby. For the veterans among your Formby ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Formby military records

You've only scratched the surface of Formby family history

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What is the average Formby lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Formby life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Formby in 1951 was 41, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Formby

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Formby 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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