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Hayes Family History

Hayes Name Meaning

Irish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hAodha ‘descendant of Aodh’, a personal name meaning ‘fire’ (compare McCoy). In some cases, especially in County Wexford, the surname is of English origin (see below), having been taken to Ireland by the Normans. English: habitational name from any of various places, for example in Devon and Worcestershire, so called from the plural of Middle English hay ‘enclosure’ (see Hay 1), or a topographic name from the same word. English: habitational name from any of various places, for example in Dorset, Greater London (formerly in Kent and Middlesex), and Worcestershire, so called from Old English h?se ‘brushwood’, or a topographic name from the same word. English: patronymic from Hay 3. French: variant (plural) of Haye 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic): metronymic from Yiddish name Khaye ‘life’ + the Yiddish possessive suffix -s.

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


Similar surnames: Hayer, Haynes, Haye, Sales, Hales, Bayes, Hames, Vales, Haber, Naves

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Where is the Hayes family from?

You can see how Hayes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hayes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hayes families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4,338 Hayes families living in Lancashire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Hayes's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Hayes families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hayes surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Hayes ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Hayes. 8% of Hayes men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Hayes women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hayes were Gardener and Domestic Servant. .

View Census Data for Hayes | 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

  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Gardener
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Hayes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Hayes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hayes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Hayes

Passenger Lists

There are 264,000 immigration records available for the last name Hayes. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 184,000 military records available for the last name Hayes. For the veterans among your Hayes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Hayes family history

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What is the average Hayes lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Hayes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Hayes in 1940 was 34, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hayes

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