History of your Surname
Get access to Portnoy family records.Start a free trial

Portnoy Family History

Portnoy Name Meaning

Jewish (from Ukraine and Belarus): occupational name for a tailor from Russian portnoj (an adjective derivative of port ‘uncut cloth’).

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


Similar surnames: Portner, Gortney, Porte, Portney, Porto, Porter, Portera, Furtney

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Portnoy family from?

You can see how Portnoy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Portnoy family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1891 and 1920. The most Portnoy families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 39 Portnoy families living in New York. This was about 38% of all the recorded Portnoy's in USA. New York had the highest population of Portnoy families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Portnoy surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Portnoy ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Portnoy. 17% of Portnoy men worked as a Salesman and 19% of Portnoy women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Portnoy were Clerk and Finisher. .

View Census Data for Portnoy | 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

  • Salesman
    17%
  • Tailor
    17%
  • Operator
    9%
  • Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    19%
  • Stenographer
    17%
  • New Worker
    10%
  • Finisher
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Portnoy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Portnoy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Portnoy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Portnoy

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 773 military records available for the last name Portnoy. For the veterans among your Portnoy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Portnoy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Portnoy family history

Discover More

What is the average Portnoy lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Portnoy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Portnoy in 1956 was 45, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Portnoy

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Portnoy family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Portnoy last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial