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Massey Family History

Massey Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Massy a pet form of Matthew. Compare Mace.

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from one or more of several places in Normandy such as Macey (Manche), Massy (Seine-Maritime), Macé-sur-Orne (Orne), and La Ferté Macé (Orne).

English: variant of Marsay (see Marcey).

Altered form of French Massé (see Masse).

Altered form of southern French Massa: of Italian origin a habitational name from Massa, the name of several places in (the northern part of) Italy; see Massa.

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


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Where is the Massey family from?

You can see how Massey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Massey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Massey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2,389 Massey families living in Lancashire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Massey's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Massey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Massey 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 Massey 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 Massey. 8% of Massey men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Massey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Massey were Dairy Farmer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Massey | 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
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Dairy Farmer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Massey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 278,000 census records available for the last name Massey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Massey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Massey

Passenger Lists

There are 26,000 immigration records available for the last name Massey. 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 Massey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 52,000 military records available for the last name Massey. For the veterans among your Massey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Massey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Massey family history

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What is the average Massey lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Massey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Massey in 1940 was 57, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Massey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Massey 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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