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Broadbent Family History

Broadbent Surname Meaning

English (northern): habitational name from a minor place in Lancashire near Oldham named Broadbent from Old English brād ‘broad’ (see Broad) + beonet ‘bent grass’.

English: occasionally a variant of B roadbelt from Middle English brod brad ‘wide broad’ + belt ‘belt girdle’ used for a stout man i.e. someone who wore a ‘broad belt’.

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


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Where is the Broadbent family from?

You can see how Broadbent families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Broadbent family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Broadbent families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 3,444 Broadbent families living in Yorkshire. This was about 51% of all the recorded Broadbent's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Broadbent families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Broadbent 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 Broadbent 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 Broadbent. 9% of Broadbent men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Broadbent women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Broadbent were Retired and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Broadbent | 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%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Cotton Spinner
    4%
  • Retired
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Broadbent family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 140,000 census records available for the last name Broadbent. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Broadbent census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Broadbent

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Broadbent. 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 Broadbent immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Broadbent. For the veterans among your Broadbent ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Broadbent military records

You've only scratched the surface of Broadbent family history

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What is the average Broadbent lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Broadbent life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Broadbent in 1943 was 54, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Broadbent

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Broadbent 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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