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Way Family History

Way Name Meaning

English (mainly southern): topographic name for someone who lived near a road or path from Middle English wei (Old English weg cognate with Old Norse vegr Old High German weg) or a habitational name from some minor place called with this word as for example any of the places called Way or Waye in Devon or Way in Somerset and Kent. Chinese: variant of Wei .

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


Similar surnames: Hay, May, Say, Ray, Fay, Kay, Pay, Gay, Day, Bay

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Way family from?

You can see how Way families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Way family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Way families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 406 Way families living in Ontario. This was about 51% of all the recorded Way's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Way families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Way 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 Way ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Way. 33% of Way men worked as a Farmer and 21% of Way women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Way were Clerk and Bookkeeper. .

View Census Data for Way | 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
    33%
  • Labourer
    15%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    21%
  • Income
    12%
  • Servant
    12%
  • Bookkeeper
    12%
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What Way family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 212,000 census records available for the last name Way. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Way census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Way

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Way. 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 Way immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 65,000 military records available for the last name Way. For the veterans among your Way ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Way military records

You've only scratched the surface of Way family history

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What is the average Way lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Way life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Way in 1940 was 45, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Way

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