History of your Surname
Get access to Brush family records.Start a free trial

Brush Family History

Brush Name Meaning

English: metonymic occupational name for a brush maker from Middle English brush ‘brush’ (Old French brosse ‘brushwood’). Americanized form of German Brusch or Brüsch ‘heather broom brushwood’ (see Bruesch ).

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


Similar surnames: Brust, Bush, Rush, Brus, Brusse, Bruch, Rust, Bruck, Rusch, Brash

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Brush family from?

You can see how Brush families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brush family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brush families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 140 Brush families living in Ontario. This was about 82% of all the recorded Brush's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Brush families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brush surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Brush ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Brush. 60% of Brush men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Brush women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brush were Teamster and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Brush | 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
    60%
  • Carpenter
    9%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Teamster
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Saleslady
    60%
  • Teacher
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brush family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 55,000 census records available for the last name Brush. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brush census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Brush

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Brush. 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 Brush immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Brush. For the veterans among your Brush ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brush military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brush family history

Discover More

What is the average Brush lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Brush life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Brush in 1941 was 38, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brush

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Brush family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Brush last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial