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Bras Family History

Bras Surname Meaning

Dutch: from Middle Dutch bras ‘arm’. This was probably a descriptive nickname for someone with some peculiarity of the arm but the word was also used as a measure of length and may also have denoted a surveyor (compare 3 below).

Spanish; Portuguese (Brás): from a vernacular form of the personal name Blasius popularized through the cult of the 4th-century Christian martyr. Compare Portuguese Braz.

French: from Old French bras ‘arm’ a term used as a measure of length hence a metonymic occupational name for a surveyor.

Breton (mainly Le Bras): nickname for a corpulent man from bras ‘big’.

Polish (Braś): unexplained.

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

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Where is the Bras family from?

You can see how Bras families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bras family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bras families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 5 Bras families living in Devon. This was about 36% of all the recorded Bras's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Bras families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bras 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 Bras family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Bras. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bras census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Bras. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 858 military records available for the last name Bras. For the veterans among your Bras ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Bras lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Bras life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1977. The average life expectancy for Bras in 1965 was 64, and 83 in 2004.

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