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Ratay Family History

Ratay Surname Meaning

Americanized or Germanized form of Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, and Sorbian Rataj ‘plowman’. German: habitational name from Ratay or Rattey, a village in Mecklenburg, or Rataje, part of the city of Poznań in Poland.

Americanized form of French Ratté (see Ratte). Compare Rattay.

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


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Where is the Ratay family from?

You can see how Ratay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ratay family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Ratay families were found in USA in 1920. In 1841 there were 7 Ratay families living in Fife. This was about 58% of all the recorded Ratay's in Scotland. Fife had the highest population of Ratay families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ratay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1861
  • 1871
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What did your Ratay ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ratay. 50% of Ratay men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Ratay women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ratay were Farm Hand and Operator.

View Census Data for Ratay | 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
    50%
  • Truck Driver
    15%
  • Helper
    8%
  • Farm Hand
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    50%
  • Operator
    50%

What Ratay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 925 census records available for the last name Ratay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ratay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ratay

Passenger Lists

There are 195 immigration records available for the last name Ratay. 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 Ratay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 420 military records available for the last name Ratay. For the veterans among your Ratay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ratay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ratay family history

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What is the average Ratay lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Ratay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Ratay in 1959 was 52, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ratay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ratay 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ratay family tree

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