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

Handy Family History

Handy Name Meaning

English: nickname from Middle English hondi ‘skillful with one's hands dextrous’.

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


Similar surnames: Hendy, Hand, Hardy, Gandy, Candy, Tandy, Hanby, Sandy, Andy, Dandy

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 Handy family from?

You can see how Handy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Handy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Handy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 187 Handy families living in Worcestershire. This was about 16% of all the recorded Handy's in United Kingdom. Worcestershire had the highest population of Handy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Handy surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Handy ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Handy. 11% of Handy men worked as a Builders Labourer and 74% of Handy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Handy were Gardener and Household Duties. .

View Census Data for Handy | 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 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Gardener
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    2%
  • Household Duties
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Handy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 85,000 census records available for the last name Handy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Handy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Handy

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Handy. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Handy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Handy. For the veterans among your Handy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Handy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Handy family history

Discover More

What is the average Handy lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Handy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Handy in 1942 was 31, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Handy

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Handy family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Handy last name

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