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Brewer Family History

Brewer Surname Meaning

English: occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale from Middle English brewere ‘brewer’ (an agent derivative of Old English brēowan ‘to brew’). Compare Brewster.

English (of Norman origin): Anglicized form of French Bruyère (see Bruyere) a habitational name from a place so called in Calvados France from Old French bruiere ‘heath’.

Americanized form (translation into English) of Dutch Brouwer, German Brauer, or Breuer, etc. all occupational names meaning ‘brewer’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Brewer family from?

You can see how Brewer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brewer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brewer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,193 Brewer families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Brewer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Brewer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brewer 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 Brewer 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 Brewer. 8% of Brewer men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Brewer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brewer were Gardener and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Brewer | 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
    8%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Farmer
    3%
  • Gardener
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Brewer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 496,000 census records available for the last name Brewer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brewer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Brewer

Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name Brewer. 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 Brewer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 92,000 military records available for the last name Brewer. For the veterans among your Brewer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brewer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brewer family history

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What is the average Brewer lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Brewer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Brewer in 1940 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brewer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brewer 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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