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Bryan Family History

Bryan Surname Meaning

English and Irish: variant of Bryant. Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Ó Briain see O'Brien.

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


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Where is the Bryan family from?

You can see how Bryan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bryan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bryan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,378 Bryan families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Bryan's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bryan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan. 8% of Bryan men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Bryan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bryan were Incapacitated and Private Means.

View Census Data for Bryan | 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
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Farm Labourer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Bryan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 409,000 census records available for the last name Bryan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bryan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bryan

Passenger Lists

There are 59,000 immigration records available for the last name Bryan. 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 Bryan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 75,000 military records available for the last name Bryan. For the veterans among your Bryan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bryan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bryan family history

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What is the average Bryan lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bryan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Bryan in 1940 was 39, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bryan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bryan 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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