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

Bredford Family History

Bredford 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: Bradford, Bedford, Redford, Radford, Ledford, Bareford, Beresford

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 Bredford family from?

You can see how Bredford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bredford family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Bredford families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1880 there were 4 Bredford families living in Texas. This was about 44% of all the recorded Bredford's in USA. Texas had the highest population of Bredford families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bredford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Bredford ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bredford. 37% of Bredford men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Bredford women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bredford were Manager and Laundress. .

View Census Data for Bredford | 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
    37%
  • Laborer
    37%
  • Manager
    28%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    34%
  • Laborer
    34%
  • Laundress
    34%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bredford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 574 census records available for the last name Bredford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bredford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Bredford

Passenger Lists

There are 110 immigration records available for the last name Bredford. 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 Bredford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 58 military records available for the last name Bredford. For the veterans among your Bredford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bredford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bredford family history

Discover More

What is the average Bredford lifespan?

Average Bredford life expectancy in 1975 was 88 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 70.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bredford

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bredford family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Bredford last name

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