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Rayford Family History

Rayford Name Meaning

English: perhaps a variant of Rayfield ; compare Raffel . This surname is now rare in Britain. English: perhaps a habitational name from a lost place in Devon recorded as Wreyford in 134 The place may take its name from the river Wray + Old English ford ‘ford’. Probably an Americanized form of German Reifarth Raifarth or Reifert from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements rīc ‘power(ful)’ + frid ‘peace’.

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


Similar surnames: Galford, Rexford, Byford, Radford, Gafford, Hayford, Harford, Pafford

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Rayford family from?

You can see how Rayford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rayford family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Rayford families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there was 1 Rayford family living in Saskatchewan. This was 100% of all the recorded Rayford's in Canada. Saskatchewan had the highest population of Rayford families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rayford 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 Rayford ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rayford. 31% of Rayford men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Rayford women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rayford were Farming and Housework. .

View Census Data for Rayford | 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, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    31%
  • Farmer
    31%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%
  • Farming
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    18%
  • Cook
    17%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Housework
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rayford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Rayford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rayford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Rayford

Passenger Lists

There are 212 immigration records available for the last name Rayford. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Rayford. For the veterans among your Rayford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Rayford lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Rayford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Rayford in 1949 was 29, and 64 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rayford

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