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Kays Family History

Kays Name Meaning

English and Scottish (Glasgow): variant of Keyes .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Kayes, Kay, Kaye, Mays, Bays, Days, Keays, Keys, Kats, Hays

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 Kays family from?

You can see how Kays families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kays family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kays families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 5 Kays families living in Illinois. This was about 18% of all the recorded Kays's in USA. Illinois and 3 other states had the highest population of Kays families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kays surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kays ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kays. 24% of Kays men worked as a Farmer and 10% of Kays women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kays were Truck Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Kays | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    24%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Waitress
    8%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kays family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Kays. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kays census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kays

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Kays. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kays immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Kays. For the veterans among your Kays ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kays military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kays family history

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What is the average Kays lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Kays life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Kays in 1957 was 43, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kays

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kays family tree

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