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Smy Family History

Smy Surname Meaning

A variant of Smith shows a loss of the final consonant. In Suffolk, Smith was interchangeable with Smeeth, which illustrates the alternation of Smy with Smee.

For example, we can compare William Smee senior from 1674 listed in the Hearth Tax for Sudbury, Suffolk, with Sarah Smy from 1753 in the IGI also in Sudbury, Suffolk.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Smy family from?

You can see how Smy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Smy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Smy families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 81 Smy families living in Suffolk. This was about 47% of all the recorded Smy's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Smy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smy 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 Smy ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Smy. 15% of Smy men worked as a Farm Labourer and 82% of Smy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Smy were General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Smy | 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

  • Farm Labourer
    15%
  • Cowman
    15%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    9%
  • General Labourer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Household Duties
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    3%

What Smy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Smy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Smy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Smy

Passenger Lists

There are 304 immigration records available for the last name Smy. 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 Smy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 904 military records available for the last name Smy. For the veterans among your Smy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Smy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Smy family history

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What is the average Smy lifespan?

Between 1968 and 1991, in the United States, Smy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Smy in 1968 was 84, and 68 in 1991.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Smy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Smy 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Smy family tree

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