Daily AncestorLeafy
Leafy stood for Relief in many American records of the 1700s and 1800s.
Leafy is a short form of Relief, an old virtue name. Nickname lists made for 18th and 19th century research, such as the one from the Connecticut State Library, pair Leafy with Relief.
If a search for Relief finds nothing, try Leafy, and the reverse. Treat a match as a lead and confirm it with age, birthplace and family members.
As seen in a record1850 census; her 1829 marriage record calls her Relief
Leafy Elwell, 40, F, Ala.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Leafy." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/nicknames/leafy. Last checked 2026-10-15.