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Zay Family History

Zay Surname Meaning

Hungarian: archaic form of Zaj a nickname for a noisy person from zaj ‘noise’. Americanized form of German Zeh.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Zay family from?

You can see how Zay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Zay families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 2 Zay families living in London. This was about 67% of all the recorded Zay's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Zay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zay 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 Zay ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zay. 25% of Zay men worked as a Laborer and 43% of Zay women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zay were Tinsmith and Typist.

View Census Data for Zay | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    25%
  • Labor
    19%
  • Salesman
    19%
  • Tinsmith
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    43%
  • Housewife
    29%
  • Typist
    29%

What Zay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Zay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Zay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Zay

Passenger Lists

There are 246 immigration records available for the last name Zay. 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 Zay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 353 military records available for the last name Zay. For the veterans among your Zay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Zay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Zay family history

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What is the average Zay lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Zay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Zay in 1961 was 49, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Zay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Zay 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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