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Relyea Family History

Relyea Surname Meaning

Americanized form of French (mainly southern) Reille: topographic name from Old Occitan relha ‘plowshare’.

It can also be a habitational name from (La) Reille, which is the name of several places in southern France.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Relyea family from?

You can see how Relyea families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Relyea family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Relyea families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Relyea families living in Sussex. This was 100% of all the recorded Relyea's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Relyea families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Relyea 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 Relyea ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Relyea. 18% of Relyea men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Relyea women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Relyea were Clerk and Teacher.

View Census Data for Relyea | 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
    18%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    16%
  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Clerk
    12%
  • Teacher
    10%

What Relyea family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Relyea. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Relyea census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Relyea

Passenger Lists

There are 789 immigration records available for the last name Relyea. 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 Relyea immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Relyea military records

You've only scratched the surface of Relyea family history

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What is the average Relyea lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Relyea life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Relyea in 1954 was 60, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Relyea

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Relyea 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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