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Mclay Family History

Mclay Surname Meaning

Scottish: variant of McClay from Scottish Gaelic Mac an Lèigh.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Mclay family from?

You can see how Mclay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mclay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mclay families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 32 Mclay families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Mclay's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Mclay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mclay 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 Mclay ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Mclay. 77% of Mclay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Mclay | 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
    77%
  • Domestic Duties
    11%
  • Unpaid House Duties
    8%
  • Domestic Servant
    6%

What Mclay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Mclay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mclay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Mclay

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Mclay. 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 Mclay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Mclay. For the veterans among your Mclay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mclay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mclay family history

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What is the average Mclay lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Mclay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Mclay in 1956 was 37, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mclay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mclay 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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