This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Briscombe family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Briscombe Family History

Briscombe Surname Meaning

In N England, it may be an altered form of Broxup (via Broscop Broscombe) as suggested in Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames. The 1587 example may alternatively be a variant of the Lincs name Broxholme with unrounding of the stressed vowel to [ɪ] and metathesis of [ks] to [sk].

Lincs surnames do sometimes migrate northwards into ER Yorks and southern WR Yorks where Broxholme and its variants may have been confused with variants of Broxup mentioned above.

In SW England, it is a metathesized form of Burscombe in Sidbury (Devon), recorded in the locative phrase Berrdescumbes heafod in 1061 (1227).

This likely denotes the valley (Old English cumb) of a man named with the Old English personal name Beornrǣd.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Briscombe family from?

You can see how Briscombe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Briscombe family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1881 and 1920. The most Briscombe families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 20 Briscombe families living in Yorkshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Briscombe's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Briscombe families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Briscombe surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Briscombe ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Briscombe. 86% of Briscombe women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Briscombe | 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.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    15%

What Briscombe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Briscombe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Briscombe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Briscombe

Passenger Lists

There are 114 immigration records available for the last name Briscombe. 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 Briscombe immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 73 military records available for the last name Briscombe. For the veterans among your Briscombe ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Briscombe military records

You've only scratched the surface of Briscombe family history

Discover More

What is the average Briscombe lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Briscombe ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Briscombe

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Briscombe family tree

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