Clay Family History

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Clay Name Meaning

English: from Old English cl?g ‘clay’, applied as a topographic name for someone who lived in an area of clay soil or as a metonymic occupational name for a worker in a clay pit (see Clayman). Americanized spelling of German Klee.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Clary, Slay, Clare, Cap, Way, Clapp, Lay, Bay, Flad, Lau

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Clay Family Origin

Where is the Clay family from?

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1840
    1920
    You can see how Clay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clay families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 62 Clay families living in Ohio. This was about 13% of all the recorded Clay's in the USA. Ohio had the highest population of Clay families in 1840.
    Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

    View Census Data for Clay

    Clay Family Occupations

    What did your Clay ancestors do for a living?

    In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Clay. 21% of Clay men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Clay women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clay were Salesman and Laundress

    View Census data for Clay | Data not to scale

    Top Male Occupations in 1940

    • Laborer
      21%
    • Farmer
      16%
    • Truck Driver
      4%
    • Salesman
      3%

    Top Female Occupations in 1940

    • Maid
      11%
    • Cook
      9%
    • Housekeeper
      6%
    • Laundress
      6%

    *We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

    Clay Historical Records

    What Clay family records will you find?

    Census Record

    There are 306,000 census records available for the last name Clay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

    Search US census records for Clay

    Passenger List

    There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Clay. 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 Clay immigration records

    Draft Card

    There are 53,000 military records available for the last name Clay. For the veterans among your Clay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

    View all Clay military records

    You've only scratched the surface of Clay family history.

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    Clay Life Expectancy

    What is the average Clay lifespan?

    Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Clay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Clay in 1941 was 36, and 71 in 2004.

    View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clay

    An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Clay ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

    Famous Clay Family Ancestors

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