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Brotherton Family History

Brotherton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Brotherton in North Yorkshire and occasionally from the now lost Brotherton in Hacheston, Suffolk; both are named with Old English brōthor ‘brother’ or the Old Norse personal name Bróthir + Old English tūn ‘farmstead enclosure’.

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


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Where is the Brotherton family from?

You can see how Brotherton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brotherton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brotherton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 422 Brotherton families living in Lancashire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Brotherton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Brotherton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brotherton 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 Brotherton 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 Brotherton. 20% of Brotherton men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Brotherton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brotherton were Retired and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Brotherton | 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
    20%
  • Cotton Weaver
    8%
  • Window Cleaner
    5%
  • Retired
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Cotton Weaver
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Household Duties
    2%

What Brotherton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 48,000 census records available for the last name Brotherton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brotherton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Brotherton

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Brotherton. 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 Brotherton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Brotherton. For the veterans among your Brotherton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brotherton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brotherton family history

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What is the average Brotherton lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Brotherton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1960. The average life expectancy for Brotherton in 1950 was 49, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brotherton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Brotherton 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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