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Brenner Family History

Brenner Surname Meaning

German and Swiss German: from an agent derivative of Middle High German brennen ‘to burn’ in various applications. Often it is an occupational name for a distiller of spirits; it may also refer to a charcoal or lime burner or to someone who cleared forests by burning.

Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a distiller from German Brenner literally ‘burner’ (see 1 above).

English (of Norman origin): occupational name from Old French brenier ‘keeper of the hounds’. See Berner

English: occupational name from Middle English brenner(e) (from an Old Norse agent noun brennari deriving from brenna ‘to burn’) denoting a burner of lime bricks or charcoal.

See Berner

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


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Where is the Brenner family from?

You can see how Brenner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brenner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brenner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 65 Brenner families living in London. This was about 49% of all the recorded Brenner's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Brenner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brenner 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 Brenner 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 Brenner. 30% of Brenner men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Brenner women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brenner were Taxi Driver Cab and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Brenner | 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
    30%
  • Cabinet Maker
    30%
  • Carpenter
    20%
  • Taxi Driver Cab
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Domestic Servant
    5%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Brenner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 72,000 census records available for the last name Brenner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brenner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Brenner

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Brenner. 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 Brenner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Brenner. For the veterans among your Brenner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brenner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brenner family history

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What is the average Brenner lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Brenner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Brenner in 1942 was 33, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brenner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brenner 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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