Bruster
An archaic English name derived from the word "brustor", meaning a brand or firebrand.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Bruster. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bruster today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bruster births was 1900 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bruster. 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 Bruster. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1900
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1900 SSA rank
#1,340
Tracked since 1900
Popularity
Bruster: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Bruster 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 Bruster during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Bruster
The name Bruster is believed to have originated from the Old English word "bruster," which means "one who breaks" or "destroyer." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who was known for their strength or aggressive nature. The earliest known use of the name dates back to the 11th century in parts of England and the British Isles.
Bruster can also be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon word "brystan," which means "to break" or "to burst." This connection further reinforces the name's association with strength and power. In some historical records, the name is spelled as "Bruster" or "Brusterr," but the meaning remains consistent.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Bruster was Sir Bruster de Montfort, a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was known for his bravery and skill in battle, which likely contributed to his name's meaning.
In the 13th century, Bruster de Warenne was a prominent English nobleman who served as a military commander during the Barons' War against King Henry III. His name is often mentioned in historical accounts of the conflict, further establishing the name's legacy.
During the Renaissance period, Bruster Marlowe was an English playwright and poet who lived from 1564 to 1593. He is best known for his plays such as "Doctor Faustus" and "The Jew of Malta," which explored themes of power, ambition, and morality.
In the 18th century, Bruster Wilberforce was a British abolitionist and philanthropist who played a significant role in the movement to end the slave trade. He was born in 1759 and worked tirelessly to promote human rights and social reform until his death in 1833.
Another notable figure with the name Bruster was Bruster Lockwood, an American politician and lawyer who ran for President of the United States in 1884 and 1888 as the candidate for the Equal Rights Party. Although he did not win the presidency, his campaigns brought attention to issues of women's suffrage and labor rights.
While the name Bruster is not as common today as it once was, its historical roots and associations with strength, power, and determination continue to make it a unique and intriguing name choice.
People
Bruster + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bruster 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
Bruster: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bruster?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bruster 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 - US residents.
Is Bruster a common name?
We classify Bruster as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Bruster most popular?
The single biggest year for Bruster was 1900, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bruster is about 0 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 Bruster in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bruster a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bruster 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 Bruster still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bruster 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 Bruster 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 the name Bruster?
See how many people share the name Bruster on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.