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Rankey Family History

Rankey 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: Sankey, Mankey, Ranke, Yankey, Ranker, Ranney, Bankey, Raney, Pankey

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rankey family from?

You can see how Rankey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rankey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Rankey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Rankey family living in Buckinghamshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Rankey's in United Kingdom. Buckinghamshire had the highest population of Rankey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rankey 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 Rankey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rankey. 32% of Rankey men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Rankey women worked as a Waitress.

View Census Data for Rankey | 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
    32%
  • Farming
    14%
  • Engineer
    10%
  • Farmer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    100%

What Rankey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 866 census records available for the last name Rankey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rankey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rankey

Passenger Lists

There are 47 immigration records available for the last name Rankey. 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 Rankey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 108 military records available for the last name Rankey. For the veterans among your Rankey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rankey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rankey family history

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What is the average Rankey lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Rankey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1984, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Rankey in 1963 was 52, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rankey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rankey 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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