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Brightwell Family History

Brightwell Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places for example in Berkshire Oxfordshire and Suffolk named Brightwell from Old English beorht ‘bright clear’ + well(a) ‘spring stream’. Perhaps also from Britwell in Burnham (Buckinghamshire) or Britwell Prior or Britwell Salome (both Oxfordshire).

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


Similar surnames: Bridwell, Whitwell, Bidwell, Broadwell, Bramwell, Bradwell, Rothwell

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 Brightwell family from?

You can see how Brightwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Brightwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Brightwell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 23 Brightwell families living in Virginia. This was about 46% of all the recorded Brightwell's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Brightwell families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Brightwell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Brightwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Brightwell. 24% of Brightwell men worked as a Farmer and 11% of Brightwell women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Brightwell were Salesman and Maid. .

View Census Data for Brightwell | 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
    24%
  • Laborer
    24%
  • Truck Driver
    6%
  • Salesman
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Housework
    8%
  • Maid
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Brightwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Brightwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Brightwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Brightwell

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Brightwell. 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 Brightwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Brightwell. For the veterans among your Brightwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Brightwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Brightwell family history

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What is the average Brightwell lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Brightwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Brightwell in 1945 was 53, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Brightwell

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Brightwell family tree

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