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 Guy family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Guy Family History

Guy Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin) and French: from a common Old French personal name Guy from ancient Germanic Wido a short form of compound names based on the element wid(u) ‘wood forest’ Latinized as Guido.

English (of Norman origin): alternatively an occupational name for a guide Old French gui (a derivative of gui(d)er ‘to guide’ of ancient Germanic origin).

Altered form of French Guay.

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 Guy family from?

You can see how Guy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Guy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Guy families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 810 Guy families living in Lancashire. This was about 12% of all the recorded Guy's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Guy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Guy 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 Guy 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 Guy. 11% of Guy men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Guy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Guy were Incapacitated and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Guy | 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
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Guy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 253,000 census records available for the last name Guy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Guy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Guy

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Guy. 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 Guy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 32,000 military records available for the last name Guy. For the veterans among your Guy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Guy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Guy family history

Discover More

What is the average Guy lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Guy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Guy in 1940 was 36, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Guy

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

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