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Leys Family History

Leys Surname Meaning

Flemish and Dutch: patronymic from a shortened form of the personal name Laurei(n)s (see Lawrence). Scottish: habitational name from one of a number of places in Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Perthshire named with Old English lǣse ‘pasture, meadow’ (see Lees).

English: variant of Lee. French (Nord): from a vernacular short form of the personal name Adélaïde from ancient Germanic Adelheid (see Leite).

French: habitational name from Leys in Saône-et-Loire.

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


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Where is the Leys family from?

You can see how Leys families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leys family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leys families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 51 Leys families living in London. This was about 47% of all the recorded Leys's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Leys families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leys 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 Leys ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Leys. 83% of Leys women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Leys | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Private Means
    18%

What Leys family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Leys

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Leys. 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 Leys immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Leys. For the veterans among your Leys ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leys military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leys family history

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What is the average Leys lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Leys life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Leys in 1955 was 57, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leys

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leys 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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