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Braithwaite Family History

Braithwaite Surname Meaning

English (northern): habitational name from any of the places in Cumbria and Yorkshire named Braithwaite from Old Norse breithr ‘broad’ + thveit ‘clearing’.

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


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Where is the Braithwaite family from?

You can see how Braithwaite families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Braithwaite family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Braithwaite families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,307 Braithwaite families living in Yorkshire. This was about 34% of all the recorded Braithwaite's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Braithwaite families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Braithwaite 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 Braithwaite ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Braithwaite. 9% of Braithwaite men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Braithwaite women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Braithwaite were Gardener and Housewife.

View Census Data for Braithwaite | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%
  • Gardener
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Braithwaite family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Braithwaite

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Braithwaite. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Braithwaite immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Braithwaite. For the veterans among your Braithwaite ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Braithwaite military records

You've only scratched the surface of Braithwaite family history

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What is the average Braithwaite lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Braithwaite life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Braithwaite in 1945 was 46, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Braithwaite

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Braithwaite 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.

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