History of your Surname
Get access to Brearley family records.Start a free trial

Brearley Family History

Brearley Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire): variant of Brierley .

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


Similar surnames: Braley, Brierley, Barley, Beazley, Earley, Byerley, Berley, Broadley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Brearley family from?

You can see how Brearley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brearley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brearley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,227 Brearley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 59% of all the recorded Brearley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Brearley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brearley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Brearley 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 Brearley. 11% of Brearley men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Brearley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brearley were Colliery Hewer and Household Duties. .

View Census Data for Brearley | 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
    11%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Retired
    7%
  • Colliery Hewer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Household Duties
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brearley family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Brearley

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Brearley. For the veterans among your Brearley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brearley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brearley family history

Discover More

What is the average Brearley lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Brearley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Brearley in 1956 was 58, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brearley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Brearley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Brearley last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial