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Bret Family History

Bret Surname Meaning

French: ethnic name for a Breton from Old French bret nominative of breton ‘Breton’ (see Breton).

See also English Brett.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bret family from?

You can see how Bret families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bret family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Bret families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 23 Bret families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Bret's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bret families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bret 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 Bret ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bret. 45% of Bret men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Bret women worked as a Maid.

View Census Data for Bret | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    45%
  • Carpenter
    34%
  • Manager
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    100%

What Bret family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Bret

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bret. 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 Bret immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Bret. For the veterans among your Bret ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bret military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bret family history

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What is the average Bret lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Bret life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bret in 1961 was 57, and 93 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bret

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bret 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 Bret family tree

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