Brence
A masculine name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Brence. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Brence today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brence births was 1979 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brence. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Brence. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1979
5 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1979 SSA rank
#6,159
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Brence: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Brence by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Brence during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Brence
The given name Brence is an uncommon one, and its origins are somewhat obscure. It is believed to have originated from the Brittonic Celtic language spoken in parts of what is now Great Britain and Brittany, France during the ancient and medieval periods.
Some linguistic scholars suggest that Brence may be derived from the Proto-Celtic root *brenk-, meaning "to make a noise or creak." This could indicate that the name was originally associated with qualities such as loudness, strength, or perhaps even a particular occupation or trade involving noise or creaking sounds.
While there are no definitive records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, a few notable individuals throughout history have borne the name Brence.
One of the earliest recorded instances is Brence of Cumbria, a minor nobleman who lived in the 9th century CE in what is now northwestern England. He is mentioned in a few local chronicles from the time, though not much is known about his life or deeds.
Several centuries later, in the 1300s, a Brence de Montfort was a knight and minor landowner in Normandy, France. He is briefly mentioned in a few legal documents and land records from the period.
In the 16th century, Brence Hawkins was a sailor and explorer from England who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his circumnavigation of the globe from 1577 to 1580. Hawkins kept a journal of the voyage, which has provided valuable insights into the expedition.
During the 17th century, Brence Williamson was a prominent merchant and trader in the British colony of Virginia. He played a role in the early economic development of the region and is mentioned in various colonial records from the time.
In the late 18th century, Brence Austen was a minor English poet and writer who published a few collections of verse and prose works. While not a major literary figure, his works provide a glimpse into the literary culture of the era.
These are just a few examples of individuals named Brence throughout history, though the name has remained relatively rare and its origins and deeper meanings remain somewhat enigmatic.
People
Brence + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brence as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Brence: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brence?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brence going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Brence a common name?
We classify Brence as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brence most popular?
The single biggest year for Brence was 1979, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brence is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Brence in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Brence a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Brence in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Brence still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Brence in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Brence can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Brence as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Brence, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.