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Obrien Family History

Obrien Name Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Briain ‘descendant of Brian’ a personal name probably based on the element bre- ‘hill’ with the transferred sense ‘eminence’ i.e. ‘exalted one’. See also Bryan . In Ireland there has also been some confusion with O'Byrne (see Byrne ).

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


Similar surnames: O'brien, Brien, Dobrin, Bien, Marien, Oren, Briel, Brin, Brier, Bruen

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Obrien family from?

You can see how Obrien families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Obrien family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Obrien families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 163 Obrien families living in New York. This was about 38% of all the recorded Obrien's in USA. New York had the highest population of Obrien families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Obrien surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Obrien ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Obrien. 12% of Obrien men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Obrien women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Obrien were Farmer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Obrien | 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

  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    8%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Housewife
    5%
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What Obrien family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Obrien

Passenger Lists

There are 199,000 immigration records available for the last name Obrien. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 183,000 military records available for the last name Obrien. For the veterans among your Obrien ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Obrien lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Obrien life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Obrien in 1940 was 40, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Obrien

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