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Obriens Family History

Obriens 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: Bries, Brians, Brien, Fries, Bien, Brent, Ries, Marien, Briel, Friend

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Obriens family from?

You can see how Obriens families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Obriens family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Obriens families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there was 1 Obriens family living in Lancashire. This was 100% of all the recorded Obriens's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Obriens families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Obriens surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What Obriens family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 268 census records available for the last name Obriens. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Obriens census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Obriens

Passenger Lists

There are 49 immigration records available for the last name Obriens. 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 Obriens immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18 military records available for the last name Obriens. For the veterans among your Obriens ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Obriens military records

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What is the average Obriens lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Obriens 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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