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Powney Family History

Powney Surname Meaning

A variant of Pountney with simplification of the consonant cluster, possibly from late Middle English *powny ‘pony small horse’ (apparently derived from a diminutive of Anglo-Norman French pulein ‘foal colt’); compare Pullen.

The earliest evidence for this word, however, is from the late 17th century when it is a distinctly Scottish term appearing slightly later in northern England.

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


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Where is the Powney family from?

You can see how Powney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Powney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Powney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 13 Powney families living in Ontario. This was about 42% of all the recorded Powney's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Powney families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Powney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Powney ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Powney. 100% of Powney men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Powney | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    100%

What Powney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Powney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Powney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Powney

Passenger Lists

There are 791 immigration records available for the last name Powney. 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 Powney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 653 military records available for the last name Powney. For the veterans among your Powney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Powney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Powney family history

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What is the average Powney lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Powney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Powney in 1962 was 58, and 96 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Powney 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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