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Brisbane Family History

Brisbane Name Meaning

Scottish (of Anglo-Norman origin): nickname from Old French briser ‘to break’ + northern Middle English bane (Old English bān) ‘bone’. It may have been used for someone crippled by a broken bone or for a violent man or a warrior who broke other people's bones.

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


Similar surnames: Brian, Brisbois, Briscoe, Bressan, Brine, Tristan, Braband, Brislin

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Brisbane family from?

You can see how Brisbane families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brisbane family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brisbane families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 8 Brisbane families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Brisbane's in Canada. Ontario and 1 other province had the highest population of Brisbane families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brisbane surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Brisbane ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Brisbane. 31% of Brisbane men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Brisbane women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brisbane were Farm Laborer and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Brisbane | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    31%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Farm Laborer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    18%
  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Servant
    12%
  • Stenographer
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brisbane family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Brisbane. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brisbane census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Brisbane

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Brisbane. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Brisbane immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Brisbane. For the veterans among your Brisbane ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brisbane military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brisbane family history

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What is the average Brisbane lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Brisbane life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Brisbane in 1948 was 21, and 60 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brisbane

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Brisbane family tree

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