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Bretner Family History

Bretner 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: Brenner, Breiner, Bremner, Brener, Breitner, Berner, Bradner, Brewer

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bretner family from?

You can see how Bretner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bretner family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Bretner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1841 there were 7 Bretner families living in Aberdeenshire. This was about 88% of all the recorded Bretner's in Scotland. Aberdeenshire had the highest population of Bretner families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bretner surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1851
  • 1861
  • 1871
  • 1881
  • 1891
  • 1901
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What did your Bretner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Painter was the top reported job for people in the USA named Bretner. 100% of Bretner men worked as a Painter.

View Census Data for Bretner | 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

  • Painter
    100%

What Bretner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 334 census records available for the last name Bretner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bretner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bretner

Passenger Lists

There are 61 immigration records available for the last name Bretner. 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 Bretner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 74 military records available for the last name Bretner. For the veterans among your Bretner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bretner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bretner family history

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What is the average Bretner lifespan?

Between 1965 and 1992, in the United States, Bretner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Bretner in 1965 was 67, and 72 in 1992.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bretner

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

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