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Brighton Family History

Brighton Name Meaning

English:: habitational name from Breighton in East Yorkshire on the river Derwent. This place is named with Old English beorht ‘bright’ or an unattested personal name Beohta + tūn ‘enclosure settlement’. The surname is unlikely to derive from Brighton in Sussex which was known as Brighthelmestone until the end of the 18th century. in East Anglia a nickname from Middle English bright + eien ‘bright eyes’.

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


Similar surnames: Heighton, Deighton, Brinton, Boughton, Creighton, Knighton, Leighton

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 Brighton family from?

You can see how Brighton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brighton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brighton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 46 Brighton families living in Ontario. This was about 41% of all the recorded Brighton's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Brighton families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brighton 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 Brighton ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Carpenter and School Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Brighton. 20% of Brighton men worked as a Carpenter and 50% of Brighton women worked as a School Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brighton were Contractor and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Brighton | 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 1921

  • Carpenter
    20%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Machinist
    14%
  • Contractor
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • School Teacher
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brighton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Brighton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brighton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Brighton

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Brighton. 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 Brighton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Brighton. For the veterans among your Brighton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brighton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brighton family history

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What is the average Brighton lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Brighton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Brighton in 1963 was 77, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brighton

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Brighton family tree

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