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Potney Family History

Potney Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Putney, Pitney, Cotney, Portney, Pooley, Torney, Dolney, Downey

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Potney family from?

You can see how Potney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Potney family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1840 and 1880. The most Potney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1861 there were 2 Potney families living in Lanarkshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Potney's in Scotland. Lanarkshire had the highest population of Potney families in 1861.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Potney 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 Potney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 76 census records available for the last name Potney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Potney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Potney

Passenger Lists

There are 6 immigration records available for the last name Potney. 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.

View all Potney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6 military records available for the last name Potney. For the veterans among your Potney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Potney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Potney family history

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What is the average Potney lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Potney 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.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Potney

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