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Sidney Family History

Sidney Surname Meaning

English (Durham): habitational name from Sidney Farm in Alfold (Surrey) from Old English sīd ‘large spacious long’ (dative sīdan) + ēg ‘island’.

Possibly also a habitational name from any of the places called Saint-Denis in Normandy named from the dedication of their churches to Saint Dionysius (see Dennis).

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 Sidney family from?

You can see how Sidney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sidney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sidney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 125 Sidney families living in London. This was about 20% of all the recorded Sidney's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Sidney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sidney 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 Sidney 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 Sidney. 17% of Sidney men worked as a General Labourer and 81% of Sidney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sidney were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Sidney | 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%
  • Bricklayer
    15%
  • Window Cleaner
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    2%

What Sidney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Sidney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sidney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sidney

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Sidney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sidney family history

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What is the average Sidney lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Sidney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Sidney in 1945 was 30, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sidney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sidney 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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