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Bracken Family History

Bracken Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Breacáin ‘descendant of Breacán’ a personal name from a diminutive of breac ‘speckled spotted’ which was borne by a 6th-century Christian saint who lived at Ballyconnel County Cavan and was famous as a healer; Saint Bricin's Military Hospital Dublin is named in his honor.

Irish: from Ó Bragáin see Bragan. English: topographic name from Middle English braken ‘bracken’ (from Old English bræcen or Old Norse brakni) or a habitational name from a place called with this word such as Bracken in East Yorkshire, Bracken Fold in Westmorland, or Bracon Ash in Norfolk.

German: especially in the north probably a topographic name from Middle Low German brake ‘brushwood, fallow land, copse’ an element of many field and placenames.

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


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Where is the Bracken family from?

You can see how Bracken families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bracken family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bracken families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 154 Bracken families living in Lancashire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Bracken's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Bracken families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bracken 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 Bracken ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bracken. 28% of Bracken men worked as a Builders Labourer and 67% of Bracken women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bracken were Farmer Partner and Housewife.

View Census Data for Bracken | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    28%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Farmer Partner
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Cotton Weaver
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Bracken family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 56,000 census records available for the last name Bracken. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bracken census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bracken

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Bracken. 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 Bracken immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Bracken. For the veterans among your Bracken ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bracken military records

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What is the average Bracken lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Bracken life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bracken in 1941 was 34, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bracken

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bracken 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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