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Brownless Family History

Brownless Surname Meaning

For someone who wore braided silken laces (for tying clothing, shoes, or armour) or a braided silken belt or buckle, the term is derived from Middle English broun ‘brown, dark, shining’ + las or les ‘lace, cord, belt, clasp, buckle’, especially one made of interwoven strands of silk, threads of gold, etc. Compare Lace.

The surname originated in Romaldkirk parish (NR Yorks), where it had a continuous history into the 19th century. A branch of the family spread north into Durham and Northumbria.

In this region, the name became confused with the Scottish Brownlees.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Brownless family from?

You can see how Brownless families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brownless family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Brownless families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 129 Brownless families living in Durham. This was about 61% of all the recorded Brownless's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Brownless families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brownless 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 Brownless 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 Brownless. 34% of Brownless men worked as a General Labourer and 78% of Brownless women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brownless were Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Brownless | 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
    34%
  • Incapacitated
    23%
  • Grocery Warehouseman
    23%
  • Bricklayer
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    4%

What Brownless family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Brownless. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brownless census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Brownless

Passenger Lists

There are 504 immigration records available for the last name Brownless. 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 Brownless immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 302 military records available for the last name Brownless. For the veterans among your Brownless ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brownless military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brownless family history

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What is the average Brownless lifespan?

Between 1967 and 1995, in the United States, Brownless life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1977. The average life expectancy for Brownless in 1967 was 91, and 93 in 1995.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brownless

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brownless 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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