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Barklay Family History

Barklay 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: Barclay, Barkley, Barley, Barlas, Bartley, Barkman, Bakley, Balay

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Barklay family from?

You can see how Barklay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barklay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barklay families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 15 Barklay families living in Ontario. This was about 83% of all the recorded Barklay's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Barklay families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barklay 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 Barklay ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Barklay. 34% of Barklay men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Barklay women worked as a Stenographer.

View Census Data for Barklay | 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
    34%
  • Farmer
    23%
  • Clerk
    12%
  • Bookkeeper
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    100%

What Barklay family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Barklay

Passenger Lists

There are 137 immigration records available for the last name Barklay. 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 Barklay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 179 military records available for the last name Barklay. For the veterans among your Barklay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barklay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barklay family history

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What is the average Barklay lifespan?

Between 1989 and 1997, in the United States, Barklay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1997, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Barklay in 1989 was 77, and 50 in 1997.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barklay

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Barklay 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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