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Ismay Family History

Ismay Surname Meaning

English (Cumberland and Northumberland): from the Middle English female personal name Isemay possibly from an unrecorded ancient Germanic Ismagin perhaps from īs ‘ice’ or īsen- ‘iron’ + magin- ‘strength’ though -magin is not known as a second element.

Compare Esmay. The personal name commonly took the forms Eman, Emeny, and Imany.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Ismay family from?

You can see how Ismay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ismay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Ismay families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 106 Ismay families living in Cumberland. This was about 33% of all the recorded Ismay's in United Kingdom. Cumberland had the highest population of Ismay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ismay 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 Ismay 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 Ismay. 25% of Ismay men worked as a General Labourer and 86% of Ismay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ismay were Building Contractor and Shop Assistant And Motor Driver.

View Census Data for Ismay | 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
    25%
  • Joiner
    15%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Building Contractor
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Private Means
    9%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%
  • Shop Assistant And Motor Driver
    3%

What Ismay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Ismay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ismay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ismay

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 773 military records available for the last name Ismay. For the veterans among your Ismay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ismay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ismay family history

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What is the average Ismay lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2003, in the United States, Ismay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Ismay in 1961 was 61, and 82 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ismay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ismay 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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