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Spivey Family History

Spivey Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire): from the Middle English personal name Spivi of unexplained etymology. There is a slight possibility that it could be a pet form of ancient Germanic Spirwig attested in the patronymic of a Norman tenant Eudo filius Spireuuic 1086 in Domesday Book (Lincolnshire). The alteration of Spivey to Spib(e)y as if it were from a placename seems to occurs from the 15th century but the letters -v- and -b- are often difficult to distinguish at this time and during the following century so the phonetic change may have occurred later.

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


Similar surnames: Selvey, Silvey, Pavey, Spire, Sliney, Pacey, Spinney, Spice, Smiley

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Where is the Spivey family from?

You can see how Spivey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spivey family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. The most Spivey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 26 Spivey families living in North Carolina. This was about 28% of all the recorded Spivey's in USA. North Carolina had the highest population of Spivey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spivey 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 Spivey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Spivey. 22% of Spivey men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Spivey women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spivey were Salesman and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Spivey | 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
    22%
  • Farmer
    22%
  • Farming
    5%
  • Salesman
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    11%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Spivey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 54,000 census records available for the last name Spivey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spivey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Spivey

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Spivey. For the veterans among your Spivey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spivey military records

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What is the average Spivey lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Spivey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Spivey in 1940 was 33, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spivey

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