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Bretnell Family History

Bretnell Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Britnell, Brunell, Fretwell, Brownell, Grennell, Grenell, Presnell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bretnell family from?

You can see how Bretnell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bretnell family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Bretnell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891, and Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 7 Bretnell families living in Warwickshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Bretnell's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Bretnell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bretnell 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 Bretnell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Bretnell. 100% of Bretnell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Bretnell | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Bretnell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 152 census records available for the last name Bretnell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bretnell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bretnell

Passenger Lists

There are 40 immigration records available for the last name Bretnell. 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 Bretnell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3 military records available for the last name Bretnell. For the veterans among your Bretnell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bretnell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bretnell family history

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What is the average Bretnell lifespan?

Average Bretnell life expectancy in 1966 was 90 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 71.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bretnell

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

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