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Brokaw Family History

Brokaw Surname Meaning

Altered form under American Dutch influence of French Brocard a variant of Brochard.

Compare Bercaw Bragaw and Burcaw.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Brokaw family from?

You can see how Brokaw families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brokaw family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Brokaw families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Brokaw family living in Essex. This was 100% of all the recorded Brokaw's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Brokaw families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brokaw 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 Brokaw ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Brokaw. 18% of Brokaw men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Brokaw women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brokaw were Clerk and Clerk.

View Census Data for Brokaw | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    18%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    15%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    8%
  • Clerk
    8%

What Brokaw family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Brokaw. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brokaw census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Brokaw

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Brokaw. 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 Brokaw immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Brokaw. For the veterans among your Brokaw ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brokaw military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brokaw family history

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What is the average Brokaw lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Brokaw life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Brokaw in 1955 was 49, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brokaw

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brokaw 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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