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Laya Family History

Laya Name Meaning

Indian (Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh Maharashtra): from a word in local dialects of Hindi meaning ‘bird’. This name is traditionally borne by carpenters. Spanish: habitational name from any of at least two places called Laya in Biscay and Burgos or Laia in Galicia (Lugo) which are thought to be of pre-Roman origin. Filipino: nickname from Tagalog laya ‘free emancipated’ or a topographic name from laya a word which in various languages of the Philippines means ‘interior part of a country’ or ‘upper part of a town’.

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


Similar surnames: Lala, Lada, Kaya, Lay, Lama, Caya, Lapa, Raya, Maya, Lata

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Where is the Laya family from?

You can see how Laya families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Laya family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Laya families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 8 Laya families living in New York. This was about 32% of all the recorded Laya's in USA. New York had the highest population of Laya families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Laya surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Laya ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Laya. 52% of Laya men worked as a Laborer and 60% of Laya women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Laya were Herder and Maid. .

View Census Data for Laya | 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
    52%
  • Miner
    13%
  • Labor
    10%
  • Herder
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    60%
  • Maid
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Laya family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Laya. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Laya census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Laya

Passenger Lists

There are 475 immigration records available for the last name Laya. 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 Laya immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 470 military records available for the last name Laya. For the veterans among your Laya ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Laya military records

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What is the average Laya lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Laya life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Laya in 1962 was 81, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Laya

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