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Brighty Family History

Brighty Surname Meaning

Usually from the early Middle English female personal name Bright(y)eve Britiff (Old English Beorhtgifu, a compound of beorht ‘bright, fair’ + gifu ‘gift’). Possibly all the post-medieval surnames at (i) below derive from this name, but some examples of Bright(e)y could alternatively belong with (ii).

Occasionally, perhaps from the early Middle English male personal name Brightwy, representing either Old English Brihtwīg, Beorhtwīg or Old English Brihtwin; the two names were much confused.

They are compounds of Old English briht, beorht ‘bright’ + either wīg ‘battle’ or wine ‘friend’.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Brighty family from?

You can see how Brighty families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brighty family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Brighty families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 91 Brighty families living in Norfolk. This was about 38% of all the recorded Brighty's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Brighty families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brighty 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 Brighty 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 Brighty. 27% of Brighty men worked as a General Labourer and 81% of Brighty women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brighty were Horseman On Farm and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Brighty | 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
    27%
  • Railway Clerk
    11%
  • Felt Works Packer
    11%
  • Horseman On Farm
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Household Duties
    8%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%

What Brighty family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Brighty. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brighty census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Brighty

Passenger Lists

There are 227 immigration records available for the last name Brighty. 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 Brighty immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 226 military records available for the last name Brighty. For the veterans among your Brighty ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brighty military records

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What is the average Brighty lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Brighty life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1963, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Brighty in 1963 was 55, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brighty

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brighty 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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