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Brittain Family History

Brittain Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Anglo-Norman French Bretagne Bretaign(e) ‘Brittany’. Some of the modern forms are from the Middle English Brytane Brittan ‘Breton’; compare Breton .

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


Similar surnames: Britt, Bratten, Brittan, Britain, Brittin, Bratton, Britts, Gritton

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 Brittain family from?

You can see how Brittain families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brittain family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brittain families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 69 Brittain families living in Ontario. This was about 39% of all the recorded Brittain's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Brittain families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brittain surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Brittain ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Brittain. 33% of Brittain men worked as a Farmer and 29% of Brittain women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brittain were Salesman and Book Keeper. .

View Census Data for Brittain | 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

  • Farmer
    33%
  • Clerk
    10%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Salesman
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Teacher
    29%
  • Stenographer
    22%
  • Clerk
    22%
  • Book Keeper
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brittain family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 78,000 census records available for the last name Brittain. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brittain census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Brittain

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Brittain. 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 Brittain immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Brittain. For the veterans among your Brittain ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brittain military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brittain family history

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What is the average Brittain lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Brittain life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Brittain in 1950 was 48, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brittain

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Brittain family tree

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