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Brier Family History

Brier Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): topographic name for someone who lived by a briar patch.

Middle English brere (Old English brǣr ‘thorn bush’).

This was also applied as a nickname for a prickly difficult person.

Compare Breer.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Brier family from?

You can see how Brier families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brier family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brier families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 265 Brier families living in Yorkshire. This was about 68% of all the recorded Brier's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Brier families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brier 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 Brier 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 Brier. 55% of Brier men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Brier women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brier were Painter and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Brier | 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
    55%
  • Fur Cutter
    28%
  • Painter
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Retired
    3%
  • Household Duties
    3%

What Brier family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Brier

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Brier. For the veterans among your Brier ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brier military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brier family history

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What is the average Brier lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Brier life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Brier in 1941 was 26, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brier

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brier 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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