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Phenney Family History

Phenney Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Henney, Penney, Phinney, Henley, Penny, Penner, Heaney, Henner, Henne

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Phenney family from?

You can see how Phenney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Phenney family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Phenney families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there was 1 Phenney family living in Devon. This was 100% of all the recorded Phenney's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Phenney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Phenney 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 Phenney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Phenney. 43% of Phenney men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Phenney women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Phenney were Salesman and Waitress.

View Census Data for Phenney | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    43%
  • Truck Driver
    29%
  • Carpenter
    15%
  • Salesman
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    50%
  • Waitress
    50%

What Phenney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 793 census records available for the last name Phenney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Phenney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Phenney

Passenger Lists

There are 79 immigration records available for the last name Phenney. 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 Phenney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 56 military records available for the last name Phenney. For the veterans among your Phenney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Phenney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Phenney family history

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What is the average Phenney lifespan?

Between 1969 and 1988, in the United States, Phenney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Phenney in 1969 was 61, and 83 in 1988.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Phenney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Phenney 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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