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Joy Family History

Joy Surname Meaning

English: from Joie a French female personal name or occasionally from its male equivalent given especially since the Reformation as an omen or well-wishing name.

In some cases the name may also be a nickname for a person of a cheerful disposition from Middle English joie ‘joy’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Joy family from?

You can see how Joy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Joy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Joy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 471 Joy families living in Yorkshire. This was about 18% of all the recorded Joy's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Joy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Joy 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 Joy 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 Joy. 9% of Joy men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Joy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Joy were Builders Labourer and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Joy | 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
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Housekeeper
    2%

What Joy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 140,000 census records available for the last name Joy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Joy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Joy

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Joy. 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 Joy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Joy. For the veterans among your Joy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Joy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Joy family history

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What is the average Joy lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Joy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Joy in 1940 was 66, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Joy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Joy 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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