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Medway Family History

Medway Surname Meaning

English (southern):: habitational name from one or other of numerous minor places called Meadway (from Old English mǣd ‘meadow’ + weg ‘way path road’) such as that in Winfrith Newburgh (Dorset). topographic name from the river Medway (Kent and Sussex). The river name may derive from words based on Indo-European medhu ‘middle’ and wis- weis- ‘water’.

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


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Where is the Medway family from?

You can see how Medway families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Medway family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Medway families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 107 Medway families living in Devon. This was about 32% of all the recorded Medway's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Medway families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Medway 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 Medway 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 Medway. 27% of Medway men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Medway women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Medway were Motor Driver and Housewife Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Medway | 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
    27%
  • Shipwright
    16%
  • Carpenter joiner
    16%
  • Motor Driver
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Governess Retired
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Housewife Unpaid Domestic Duties
    3%

What Medway family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Medway

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 514 military records available for the last name Medway. For the veterans among your Medway ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Medway military records

You've only scratched the surface of Medway family history

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What is the average Medway lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2002, in the United States, Medway life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Medway in 1962 was 66, and 71 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Medway

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Medway 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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