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Gainey Family History

Gainey Name Meaning

Irish (Cork): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Geigheannaigh or Mac Géibheannaigh ‘son (or descendant) of Géibheannach’ a byname meaning ‘fettered’.

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


Similar surnames: Guiney, Carney, Rainey, Cagney, Baines, Gaines, Hainey, Larney

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 Gainey family from?

You can see how Gainey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gainey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gainey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Gainey families living in Alabama. This was about 27% of all the recorded Gainey's in USA. Alabama had the highest population of Gainey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gainey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gainey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gainey. 33% of Gainey men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Gainey women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gainey were Operator and Maid. .

View Census Data for Gainey | 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

  • Laborer
    33%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Truck Driver
    5%
  • Operator
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    11%
  • Housework
    9%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Maid
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gainey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Gainey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gainey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Gainey

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Gainey. 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 Gainey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Gainey. For the veterans among your Gainey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gainey military records

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What is the average Gainey lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Gainey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Gainey in 1950 was 31, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gainey

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