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Rayo Family History

Rayo Surname Meaning

Spanish: from rayo ‘flash of lightning’ possibly a nickname in the sense ‘lively’.

Catalan (Rayó): possibly a nickname from reió ‘little king’.

Asturian-Leonese: Castilianized form of a habitational name from El Rayu a town in Asturias (Spain).

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


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Where is the Rayo family from?

You can see how Rayo families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rayo family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Rayo families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 6 Rayo families living in Dorset. This was 100% of all the recorded Rayo's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Rayo families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rayo 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 Rayo ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Fruit Peddler were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rayo. 30% of Rayo men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Rayo women worked as a Fruit Peddler.

View Census Data for Rayo | 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
    30%
  • Farm
    18%
  • Truck Driver
    18%
  • Painter
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Fruit Peddler
    100%

What Rayo family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Rayo. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rayo census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rayo

Passenger Lists

There are 366 immigration records available for the last name Rayo. 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 Rayo immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 178 military records available for the last name Rayo. For the veterans among your Rayo ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rayo military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rayo family history

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What is the average Rayo lifespan?

Between 1969 and 2004, in the United States, Rayo life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Rayo in 1969 was 66, and 57 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rayo

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rayo 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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