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Sankey Family History

Sankey Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name from Sankey in Prescot (Lancashire) from the river Sankey the etymological origin of which is uncertain.

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Seanchaidhe ‘son of the chronicler’ a name found in Sligo and Leitrim.

However, it is more commonly Anglicized as Fox as the result of an erroneous association with sionnach ‘fox’.

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


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Where is the Sankey family from?

You can see how Sankey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sankey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sankey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 511 Sankey families living in Lancashire. This was about 36% of all the recorded Sankey's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Sankey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sankey 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 Sankey 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 Sankey. 17% of Sankey men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Sankey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sankey were Postman and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Sankey | 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%
  • Cotton Spinner
    5%
  • Postman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Sankey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Sankey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sankey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sankey

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Sankey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sankey family history

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What is the average Sankey lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Sankey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Sankey in 1943 was 29, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sankey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sankey 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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