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Popejoy Family History

Popejoy Surname Meaning

English (Somerset and Gloucestershire): nickname from Middle English papejai(e) papagei pope(n)jai ‘parrot’ (via Old French papageai from Arabic bab(b)aghā).

The ending of the English word was altered by folk etymological association with the bird name jay. The nickname was probably acquired by a talkative person or by someone who habitually dressed in bright colors.

But occasionally it may have denoted someone who was connected with or who excelled at the medieval sport of tilting or shooting at a wooden parrot (popinjay) on a pole.

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


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Where is the Popejoy family from?

You can see how Popejoy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Popejoy family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Popejoy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 31 Popejoy families living in Wiltshire. This was about 45% of all the recorded Popejoy's in United Kingdom. Wiltshire had the highest population of Popejoy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Popejoy 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 Popejoy ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Popejoy. 92% of Popejoy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Popejoy | 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
    92%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    8%

What Popejoy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Popejoy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Popejoy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Popejoy

Passenger Lists

There are 207 immigration records available for the last name Popejoy. 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.

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Draft Cards

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

View all Popejoy military records

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What is the average Popejoy lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Popejoy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Popejoy in 1952 was 34, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Popejoy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Popejoy 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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