This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Foy family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Foy Family History

Foy Surname Meaning

Irish: variant of Fahey. Irish: variant of Fee.

French: from the medieval female personal name Foy which is from Old French foi (from Latin fides) ‘faith’.

French: habitational name from (La) Foy the name of several places in various parts of France.

American French: altered form of Faille itself an altered form of French Faye.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Foy family from?

You can see how Foy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Foy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Foy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 875 Foy families living in Lancashire. This was about 41% of all the recorded Foy's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Foy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Foy surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Foy 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 Foy. 19% of Foy men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Foy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Foy were Dock Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Foy | 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
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Dock Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Foy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 102,000 census records available for the last name Foy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Foy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Foy

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Foy. 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 Foy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 military records available for the last name Foy. For the veterans among your Foy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Foy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Foy family history

Discover More

What is the average Foy lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Foy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Foy in 1942 was 29, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Foy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Foy 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 Foy family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial