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

Birnel Family History

Birnel Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Birner, Birney, Birkel, Berner, Borel, Barnes, Bartel, Borne, Binney

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 Birnel family from?

You can see how Birnel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Birnel family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Birnel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Birnel family living in Indiana. This was 100% of all the recorded Birnel's in USA. Indiana had the highest population of Birnel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Birnel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Birnel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Birnel. 100% of Birnel men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Birnel | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Birnel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 198 census records available for the last name Birnel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Birnel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Birnel

Passenger Lists

There are 53 immigration records available for the last name Birnel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Birnel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 83 military records available for the last name Birnel. For the veterans among your Birnel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Birnel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Birnel family history

Discover More

What is the average Birnel lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2004, in the United States, Birnel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Birnel in 1968 was 39, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Birnel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Birnel family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Birnel last name

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