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Brillant Family History

Brillant Name Meaning

French Canadian: altered form of Breton Briand (compare 3 below). French Canadian: shortened form of Boisbrillant itself an altered form of Boisbriand a byname composed of French bois ‘wood’ + the Breton surname Briand (compare 1 above and 3 below). French: altered form of Breton Briant or Briand (compare 1 above) by association with the French verb briller ‘to shine’. In some cases possibly also French: from a derivative of Old French bril ‘trap’ possibly applied as a figurative nickname for a cunning man. Haitian: probably an ornamental name from French brillant ‘bright’. Alternatively of the same French origin as 3 or 4 above.

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


Similar surnames: Brilliant, Vaillant, Gallant, Merillat, Billard, Tallant, Brisbane

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Where is the Brillant family from?

You can see how Brillant families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brillant family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Brillant families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 151 Brillant families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Brillant's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Brillant families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brillant 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 Brillant ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Domestic were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Brillant. 35% of Brillant men worked as a Cultivateur and 100% of Brillant women worked as a Domestic. .

View Census Data for Brillant | 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

  • Cultivateur
    35%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Labourer
    18%
  • Journalier
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Domestic
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brillant family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Brillant

Passenger Lists

There are 425 immigration records available for the last name Brillant. 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 Brillant immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 655 military records available for the last name Brillant. For the veterans among your Brillant ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brillant military records

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What is the average Brillant lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Brillant life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Brillant in 1958 was 44, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brillant

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