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Brilliant Family History

Brilliant Surname Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Brillant ‘diamond of the finest cut’ (from French brillant present participle of briller ‘to shine or glitter’) or from the Polish cognate brylant which has the same meaning or from the Yiddish cognate brilyant which has a more general meaning ‘diamond jewel’.

Compare Diamond.

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


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Where is the Brilliant family from?

You can see how Brilliant families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brilliant family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Brilliant families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 21 Brilliant families living in London. This was about 68% of all the recorded Brilliant's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Brilliant families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brilliant 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 Brilliant ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Silk Merchant and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Brilliant. 60% of Brilliant men worked as a Silk Merchant and 89% of Brilliant women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brilliant were Taxi Driver and No Occupation.

View Census Data for Brilliant | 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

  • Silk Merchant
    60%
  • Taxi Driver
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • No Occupation
    12%

What Brilliant family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Brilliant

Passenger Lists

There are 992 immigration records available for the last name Brilliant. 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 Brilliant immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Brilliant military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brilliant family history

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What is the average Brilliant lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Brilliant life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Brilliant in 1949 was 43, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brilliant

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brilliant 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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