This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.

Discover More Family Names with an Ancestry 14-day Free Trial*

O brien Family History

O brien Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.

Similar surnames: O'brien, Mcbrien, Brien, Gabriel, Dobrin, Bien, Marien, Briel, Brin, Brier

66K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
7K	Military Records
12K	Immigration Records
138K	Census and Voter Lists
134K	Member Trees

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

Where is the O brien family from?

You can see how O brien families moved over time by selecting different census years. The O brien family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most O brien families were found in USA in 1880. In 1841 there was 1 O brien family living in Lanarkshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded O brien's in Scotland. Lanarkshire and 1 other county had the highest population of O brien families in 1841.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the O brien surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for O brien

What did your O brien 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 O brien. 16% of O brien men worked as a General labourer and 61% of O brien women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named O brien were Dock labourer and Domestic servant.

View Census Data for O brien

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.

General labourer

16%

Builders labourer

Incapacitated

Dock labourer

Unpaid domestic duties

61%

Unpaid domestic

Housewife

Domestic servant

What O brien family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 138K census records available for the last name O brien. Like a window into their day-to-day life, O brien census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for O brien

Passenger List

There are 12K immigration records available for the last name O brien. 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 O brien immigration records

Military Records

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

View all O brien military records

You've only scratched the surface of O brien family history

Discover More

What is the average O brien lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, O brien life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for O brien in 1950 was 54, and 72 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the O brien family tree

Explore Your Tree

Search for another surname

O brien Surname Meaning

Similar surnames: O'brien, Mcbrien, Brien, Gabriel, Dobrin, Bien, Marien, Briel, Brin, Brier

66K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
7K	Military Records
12K	Immigration Records
138K	Census and Voter Lists
134K	Member Trees

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

Where is the O brien family from?

View Census Data for O brien

What did your O brien ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for O brien

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.

General labourer

16%

Builders labourer

Incapacitated

Dock labourer

Unpaid domestic duties

61%

Unpaid domestic

Housewife

Domestic servant

What O brien family records will you find?

You've only scratched the surface of O brien family history

Discover More

What is the average O brien lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, O brien life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for O brien in 1950 was 54, and 72 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the O brien family tree

Explore Your Tree

O brien Family History

O brien Surname Meaning

359,000 record(s) for O brien

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

Where is the O brien family from?

What did your O brien ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What O brien family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of O brien family history

What is the average O brien lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the O brien family tree

Search for another surname

O brien Surname Meaning

359,000 record(s) for O brien

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

Where is the O brien family from?

What did your O brien ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What O brien family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of O brien family history

What is the average O brien lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the O brien family tree

Search for another surname