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Why Family History

Why Surname Meaning

see Wye.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Why family from?

You can see how Why families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Why family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Why families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 49 Why families living in Buckinghamshire. This was about 38% of all the recorded Why's in United Kingdom. Buckinghamshire had the highest population of Why families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Why 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 Why 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 Why. 28% of Why men worked as a General Labourer and 84% of Why women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Why were French Polisher furniturer M and Housewife Unpaid.

View Census Data for Why | 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
    28%
  • Bus Driver
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    19%
  • French Polisher furniturer M
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    7%
  • Shorthand Typist
    5%
  • Housewife Unpaid
    4%

What Why family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Why. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Why census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Why

Passenger Lists

There are 644 immigration records available for the last name Why. 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 Why immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Why. For the veterans among your Why ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Why military records

You've only scratched the surface of Why family history

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What is the average Why lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Why life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Why in 1963 was 64, and 35 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Why

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Why 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 Why family tree

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