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Dewey Family History

Dewey Name Meaning

Welsh: from the personal name Dewi Welsh form of David . In some cases the name may arise from the dedication of parish churches in places called Llanddewi (Saint David's) of which there are several. Anglicized form of a French Huguenot surname of uncertain form and origin. Traditionally it is recorded as Douai a habitational name from a city so named in northern France but it could also be from Old Norman French du we(z) ‘of the ford’ from a variant of standard French gué ‘ford’. In some cases also an Americanized form of French Duguay . In some cases possibly also an Americanized form of Dutch De Weij (archaic De Wey): cognate of Van der Weij (see Wey ).

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

Similar surnames: Newey, Dey, Mewes, Denny, Downey, Demey, Ewy, Denby, Dede, Deter

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Where is the Dewey family from?

You can see how Dewey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dewey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dewey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 187 Dewey families living in New York. This was about 37% of all the recorded Dewey's in USA. New York had the highest population of Dewey families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dewey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Dewey

What did your Dewey ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Dewey | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Farmer
15%
Laborer
13%
Salesman
8%
Truck Driver
4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Housewife
10%
Teacher
8%
Stenographer
7%
Housekeeper
6%

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What Dewey family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 130,000 census records available for the last name Dewey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dewey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Dewey
Passenger Lists
There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Dewey. 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 Dewey immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Dewey. For the veterans among your Dewey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Dewey military records

Census Records

There are 130,000 census records available for the last name Dewey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dewey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Dewey

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Dewey. 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 Dewey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Dewey. For the veterans among your Dewey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dewey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dewey family history

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What is the average Dewey lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Dewey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Dewey in 1941 was 66, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dewey

Browse profiles of historical people with the Dewey last name