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

Brestel Family History

Brestel 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: Brester, Bruster, Gressel, Bester, Brassel, Beste, Borstel, Ressel

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 Brestel family from?

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

What did your Brestel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Brestel. 22% of Brestel men worked as a Farmer and 67% of Brestel women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brestel were Salesman and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Brestel | 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
    22%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Painter
    18%
  • Salesman
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    67%
  • Clerk
    34%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brestel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Brestel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brestel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Brestel

Passenger Lists

There are 128 immigration records available for the last name Brestel. 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 Brestel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 447 military records available for the last name Brestel. For the veterans among your Brestel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brestel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brestel family history

Discover More

What is the average Brestel lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Brestel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Brestel in 1957 was 63, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brestel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Brestel family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Brestel last name

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