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Wayes Family History

Wayes 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: Hayes, Rayes, Bayes, Mayes, Ways, Wales, Wates, Waye, Kayes, Wares

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Wayes family from?

You can see how Wayes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wayes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Wayes families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 5 Wayes families living in New Brunswick. This was about 56% of all the recorded Wayes's in Canada. New Brunswick had the highest population of Wayes families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wayes 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 Wayes ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wayes. 36% of Wayes men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Wayes women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wayes were Clerk and School Teacher.

View Census Data for Wayes | 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

  • Farmer
    36%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Farming
    9%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    25%
  • Clerk
    25%
  • Nurse
    17%
  • School Teacher
    17%

What Wayes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 928 census records available for the last name Wayes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wayes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wayes

Passenger Lists

There are 144 immigration records available for the last name Wayes. 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 Wayes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 132 military records available for the last name Wayes. For the veterans among your Wayes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wayes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wayes family history

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What is the average Wayes lifespan?

Between 1975 and 1998, in the United States, Wayes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Wayes in 1975 was 55, and 85 in 1998.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wayes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wayes 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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