Breen family name history and map
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Breen in 1911 Ireland
The 1911 Census recorded 4,509 people named Breen in Ireland, about 0.103% of everyone living in the country at the time and the 179th most common surname overall. The name was split fairly evenly between men and women: 2,246 men and 2,258 women. (A small number, 5, had no sex recorded.)
Counties with Breen in Ireland
Wexford had the largest share of Breens, 17.5% (791 people). Next came Kerry (624), Dublin (442), Tipperary (310) and Fermanagh (295).
Breen average age in 1911
The average Breen in 1911 was 30.2 years old, 30.0 for men and 30.3 for women; almost exactly in line with the national averages of 29.6 for men and 30.5 for women. That low figure reflects just how many children there were in Edwardian Ireland, along with high infant mortality and the limits of public health at the time. For comparison, average life expectancy in Ireland today is around 83.
Breen literacy in 1911
Of the Breens whose literacy was recorded, 77.2% could both read and write, 3.8% could read but not write, and 18.9% could do neither. The figures were much the same for men and women. Bear in mind these figures include young children; the census itself only counted people aged nine and over when calculating illiteracy, on the grounds that it was unfair to label a child illiterate before they'd had a chance to learn.
Breen common first names
The most common male names were John (337), Patrick, James, Michael and Thomas; the same five names that topped the list nationally. For women it was Mary (359), followed by Bridget, Margaret, Catherine and Ellen.
Breen occupations in 1911
The most common entry on a Breen's census form was "Scholar"; 20.7% (933) were children at school. Among the rest, the most common occupations were farmer (16.3%), farm labourer (5.1%), general labourer (3.8%) and domestic servant (3.2%). Grouped by sector, agriculture accounted for 21.8% of all Breens, followed by domestic service, general labourers and retail & commerce.
What religion is Breen?
Breens were overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, 92.8% of them. The remainder were mostly Anglican (5.1%), Methodist (1.2%), Plymouth Brethren (0.2%) and Presbyterian (0.2%).
Visitor Notes
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Added by
Pete F
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Breen statistics (1911)
Number: 4,509
Rank: 179
Average Age: 30
Breen in the USA (2020)
Number: 12,537
Rank: 2,799
Note: If there were less than 100 in the USA census it will show as zero.