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Winfrey Family History

Winfrey Name Meaning

English:: from the Middle English male personal name Winfrey probably an Anglo-Norman French form of ancient Germanic Winefrid Winefred although it could alternatively be a survival of the rare early Old English name Winefrith or the equally rare Old English Wynfryth. Winefrid and Winefrith are composed of Germanic words for ‘friend’ and ‘peace’ while the first element of Wynfryth is Old English wynn ‘joy’. alternatively perhaps a variant of Winford a habitational name from Winfrith Newburgh (Dorset) but Winfrey is chiefly found in eastern England (especially Lincolnshire) from the 16th century onward.

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


Similar surnames: Winkley, Winney, Windley, Wolfrey, Jeffrey, Winger, Windle, Winford

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Winfrey family from?

You can see how Winfrey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Winfrey family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Winfrey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 17 Winfrey families living in Missouri. This was about 26% of all the recorded Winfrey's in USA. Missouri had the highest population of Winfrey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Winfrey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Winfrey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Winfrey. 25% of Winfrey men worked as a Farmer and 11% of Winfrey women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Winfrey were Farm Laborer and Cook. .

View Census Data for Winfrey | 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
    25%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Truck Driver
    5%
  • Farm Laborer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    11%
  • Housewife
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Cook
    6%
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What Winfrey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 22,000 census records available for the last name Winfrey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Winfrey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Winfrey

Passenger Lists

There are 542 immigration records available for the last name Winfrey. 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 Winfrey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Winfrey. For the veterans among your Winfrey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Winfrey lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Winfrey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Winfrey in 1943 was 37, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Winfrey

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