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

Sidney Family History

Sidney Name Meaning

English (Durham):: habitational name from Sidney Farm in Alfold (Surrey) from Old English sīd ‘large spacious long’ (dative sīdan) + ēg ‘island’. possibly also a habitational name from any of the places called Saint-Denis in Normandy named from the dedication of their churches to Saint Dionysius (see Dennis ).

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


Similar surnames: Adney, Rodney, Ridley, Binney, Stoney, Sides, Gidley, Sisney, Sidley

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 Sidney family from?

You can see how Sidney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sidney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sidney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 7 Sidney families living in New York. This was about 58% of all the recorded Sidney's in USA. New York had the highest population of Sidney families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sidney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Sidney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sidney. 28% of Sidney men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Sidney women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sidney were New Worker and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Sidney | 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
    28%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • New Worker
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    18%
  • Cook
    10%
  • Laundress
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sidney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Sidney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sidney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Sidney

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Sidney. 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 Sidney immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Sidney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sidney family history

Discover More

What is the average Sidney lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Sidney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Sidney in 1945 was 30, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sidney

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sidney family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Sidney last name

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