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Reay Family History

Reay Surname Meaning

English (Durham and Northumberland): variant of Rea.

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


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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Reay family from?

You can see how Reay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Reay families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,100 Reay families living in Durham. This was about 40% of all the recorded Reay's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Reay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reay 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 Reay ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Reay. 17% of Reay men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Reay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Reay were Bricklayer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Reay | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Reay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Reay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Reay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Reay

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Reay. 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 Reay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Reay. For the veterans among your Reay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Reay family history

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What is the average Reay lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Reay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Reay in 1941 was 38, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Reay 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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