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Breton Family History

Breton Surname Meaning

French Breton (mainly Finistère) and English (of Norman origin): ethnic name for a Breton from Old French breton oblique case of bret (see Bret).

Compare Lebreton see also English Brett.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Breton family from?

You can see how Breton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Breton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Breton families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 90 Breton families living in London. This was about 32% of all the recorded Breton's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Breton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Breton 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 Breton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Breton. 34% of Breton men worked as an Incapacitated and 60% of Breton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Breton were Commercial Traveller Bis Food and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Breton | 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

  • Incapacitated
    34%
  • General Labourer
    23%
  • Clerk
    23%
  • Commercial Traveller Bis Food
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    60%
  • Private Means
    16%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Breton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 52,000 census records available for the last name Breton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Breton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Breton

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Breton. 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 Breton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Breton. For the veterans among your Breton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Breton military records

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