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Richey Family History

Richey Surname Meaning

German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name based on rīc ‘power(ful)’ (see Reich) or from the female personal name Rikheit from rīc + suffix -heit ‘way of being’. This surname is rare in Germany.

Probably also an Americanized form of German Reiche or Ritsche (see Ritchey).

English and northern Irish: variant of Ritchie.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Richey family from?

You can see how Richey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Richey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Richey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 35 Richey families living in Durham. This was about 27% of all the recorded Richey's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Richey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Richey 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 Richey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Richey. 83% of Richey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Richey | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Private Means
    9%
  • Domestic Duties Unpaid
    9%

What Richey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 70,000 census records available for the last name Richey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Richey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Richey

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Richey. 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 Richey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Richey. For the veterans among your Richey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Richey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Richey family history

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What is the average Richey lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Richey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Richey in 1941 was 39, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Richey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Richey 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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