Lye Family History

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Lye Name Meaning

English: topographic name for someone who lived near a meadow, pasture, or patch of arable land, Middle English l(e)ye (late Old English leage, dative of leah ‘wood’, ‘glade’); or a habitational name from Lye in Herefordshire (with the same etymology). French: habitational name from Lye in Indre. French (Lyé): habitational name from places called Lié in Deux-Sèvres and Vendée. Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead in Rogaland named Lye, Old Norse Lýgi meaning ‘alliance’, ‘covenant’, used to denote a place sanctified by such an agreement, such as a court or council meeting place.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Lee, Rye, Bye, Lyle, Lyde, Tye, Lier, Nye, Pye, Eye

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Lye Family Origin

Where is the Lye family from?

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You can see how Lye families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lye family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lye families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1911 there were 51 Lye families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Lye's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Lye families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lye surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Lye

Lye Family Occupations

What did your Lye ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Milliner were the top reported jobs for men and women in the CA named Lye. 22% of Lye men worked as a Farmer and 19% of Lye women worked as a Milliner. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lye were Accountant and Carpenter

View Census data for Lye | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations in 1921

  • Farmer
    22%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Student
    6%
  • Accountant
    4%

Top Female Occupations in 1921

  • Milliner
    19%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Student
    13%
  • Carpenter
    7%

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Lye Historical Records

What Lye family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Lye. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lye census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search 1881 Canadian census records for Lye

Passenger List

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Lye. 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 Lye immigration records

Draft Card

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

View all Lye military records

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Lye Life Expectancy

What is the average Lye lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Lye life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Lye in 1957 was 52, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lye

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lye 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.

Famous Lye Family Ancestors

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