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

Spy Family History

Spy Name Meaning

from Middle English spi(e) ‘spy; watchman lookout’ (Old French espie). The name was also brought from France and the Low Countires in the 16th century by Protestant immigrants fleeing persecution.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


Similar surnames: Say, Spry, Espy, Shy, Sly, Sky, Sy, Son, Shi, May

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 Spy family from?

You can see how Spy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Spy families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1880 there were 6 Spy families living in West Virginia. This was about 55% of all the recorded Spy's in USA. West Virginia had the highest population of Spy families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spy surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Spy ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Spy. 100% of Spy men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Spy | 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
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Spy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 998 census records available for the last name Spy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Spy

Passenger Lists

There are 155 immigration records available for the last name Spy. 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 Spy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Spy. For the veterans among your Spy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spy family history

Discover More

What is the average Spy lifespan?

Between 1975 and 2003, in the United States, Spy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2003, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Spy in 1975 was 80, and 24 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spy

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Spy family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Spy last name

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