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Braff Family History

Braff Name Meaning

Jewish (from Poland): probably an artificial name from German brav ‘good upright’. Americanized form of Swedish Braf or Brav: from the adjective bra (older spelling braf) ‘good’ used as a soldier's name probably with the now obsolete meaning ‘brave manly’.

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


Similar surnames: Kraft, Graff, Bram, Buff, Braly, Boff, Braun, Brake, Raff, Reff

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 Braff family from?

You can see how Braff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Braff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Braff families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 6 Braff families living in Ontario. This was about 67% of all the recorded Braff's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Braff families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Braff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Braff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Braff. 31% of Braff men worked as a Salesman and 23% of Braff women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Braff were Sheet Metal Worker and Laborer. .

View Census Data for Braff | 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

  • Salesman
    31%
  • Foreman
    9%
  • Manager
    6%
  • Sheet Metal Worker
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    23%
  • Bookkeeper
    17%
  • Secretary
    17%
  • Laborer
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Braff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Braff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Braff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Braff

Passenger Lists

There are 576 immigration records available for the last name Braff. 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 Braff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 295 military records available for the last name Braff. For the veterans among your Braff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Braff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Braff family history

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What is the average Braff lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Braff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Braff in 1942 was 34, and 67 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Braff

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