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Birmingham Family History

Birmingham Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Birmingham in the West Midlands. In Domesday Book the name is already found as Bermingeham but it seems likely that it was originally Beornmundingahām ‘homestead (Old English hām) of the people of (-inga-) Beornmund’ a personal name composed of the elements beorn ‘young man warrior’ + mund ‘protection’.

This surname is established in Ireland (see Bermingham).

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Birmingham family from?

You can see how Birmingham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Birmingham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Birmingham families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 175 Birmingham families living in Lancashire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Birmingham's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Birmingham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Birmingham 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 Birmingham 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 Birmingham. 28% of Birmingham men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Birmingham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Birmingham were At School and Private Means.

View Census Data for Birmingham | 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
    28%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    7%
  • At School
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Birmingham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Birmingham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Birmingham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Birmingham

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Birmingham. 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 Birmingham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Birmingham. For the veterans among your Birmingham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Birmingham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Birmingham family history

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What is the average Birmingham lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Birmingham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Birmingham in 1942 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Birmingham

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Birmingham 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Birmingham family tree

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