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Bridgewater Family History

Bridgewater Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Bridgwater in Somerset; the water which the bridge at Bridgwater crosses is the Parrett river.

But the placename actually derives from Brigewaltier, i.e. ‘Walter's bridge’ after Walter de Douai.

Walter de Douai was the 12th-century owner of the area.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bridgewater family from?

You can see how Bridgewater families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bridgewater family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bridgewater families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 110 Bridgewater families living in Staffordshire. This was about 15% of all the recorded Bridgewater's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Bridgewater families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bridgewater 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 Bridgewater 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 Bridgewater. 31% of Bridgewater men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Bridgewater women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bridgewater were Builders Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Bridgewater | 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
    31%
  • Colliery Hewer
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Bridgewater family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Bridgewater. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bridgewater census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bridgewater

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bridgewater. 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 Bridgewater immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Bridgewater military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bridgewater family history

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What is the average Bridgewater lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Bridgewater life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Bridgewater in 1946 was 39, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bridgewater

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bridgewater 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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