The Handy surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,537 people carried this name — #2,482 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 20,300 people counted. That is up 6% from 13,655 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Handy surname

A surname transferred from the nickname.

Originating as a nickname for a handy person.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Handy» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the handy’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 355 · public domain.

In Poland’s population register

226 people named Handy have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 289 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 4 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lesser Poland.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Lesser Poland 111
Silesian 103
Masovian 10
Lubusz 2

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 48 people named Handy.

2 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 5 départements, most often Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 2
Pyrénées-Atlantiques 32
Gironde 9
Landes 2
Paris 2
Dordogne 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

88 families named Handy, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 510 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 36
Virginia 9
Maryland 8
New Hampshire 7
Vermont 7
Connecticut 6
Maine 5
Rhode Island 5
New York 3
Pennsylvania 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 243 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Handy in American newspapers,
1908.

Newspaper page from The Neshoba Democrat carrying the name Handy
The Neshoba Democrat 1908-06-25
Newspaper page from The Holt County Sentinel carrying the name Handy
The Holt County Sentinel 1908-06-26
Newspaper page from The Taney County Republican carrying the name Handy
The Taney County Republican 1908-07-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 6,058 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Handy in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

7,910 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Handy. The most, 1,330, date from the 1870s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 2.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 3,653
New South Wales 1,642
South Australia 1,056
Victoria 960
Western Australia 380
Tasmania 181
ACT (Canberra) 29
Northern Territory 3

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Handy.

Who carried it

People named Handy,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Handy
    John Handy 1756–1828
  • Charles Handy Russell
    Charles Handy Russell 1796–1884 · banker
  • Isaac W. K. Handy
    Isaac W. K. Handy 1815–1878 · clergyman
  • Alfred Newton Handy
    Alfred Newton Handy 1830–1913 · politician
  • Claude Handy d. 2002 · entomologist
  • J. Edouard Handy d. 1998 · private secretary

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Handy,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,328 records

1,328 records of the Handy name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 461
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 302
  • Other U.S. records 565
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Donald G. Handy

    Born 1920 in Missouri. Enlisted 1942 at Portland, Oregon; aircraft worker. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Melvin Lee Handy

    Born 1930; from Palm Beach County, Florida. U.S. Army, heavy weapons infantryman; declared dead 1950 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Cath Handy

    Arrived at New York in 1848 aboard the Java from Liverpool, aged 24; laborer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,328 records for Handy in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia89 records

89 records of the Handy name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 44
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 28
  • Other Australian records 17
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record George William Handy

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Atlas, arriving 1819; ticket of leave 1829.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Saml Handy

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the John Knox, aged 19; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Handy

    Died 1852 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 60.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 89 records for Handy in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada41 records

41 records of the Handy name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 25
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 4
  • Other Canadian records 12
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record G'o Handy

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Medway, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Daisy Belle Handy

    Buried in 1984 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 77.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Eliza B. Handy

    Died 1866 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 41 records for Handy in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France29 records

29 records of the Handy name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Pierre Jean Claude Handy

    Born 1934 in Biarritz; died 2000 in Bayonne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Elisa Henriette Handy

    Born 1911 in Oraàs; died 1996 in Salies-de-Béarn (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Alice Handy

    Born 1905 in Saint-Pé-de-Léren (Pyrénées-Atlantiques); died 1976 in Eaubonne (Val-d'Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 29 records for Handy in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Germany14 records

14 records of the Handy name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Paul Handy

    From Lendzin, Oppeln. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 23 August 1916; then reported dead in the list of 16 September 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 157).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list August Handy

    From Schmarsowitz. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 20 November 1916.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 14 records for Handy in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom8 records

8 records of the Handy name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 7
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Handy

    Buried in 1834 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 53.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Handy

    Lance Corporal, Royal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. J. Handy

    Somerset Light Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Handy in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Handy name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Mary Jane Handy

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Handy name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Olive Blanche Handy

    Died 1972 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Handy.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Handy is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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