2000
#9,111
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,297
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.22
Rare Last name
Bradberry
From an English place name meaning "broad fortification" or "wide fort," derived from Old English brād and burh.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,605 Americans carry the last name Bradberry. That puts it at #9,823 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,077 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bradberry surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bradberry with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,077
Census rank
#9,823
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,144 bearers of the surname Bradberry in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9823rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bradberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (18.6%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bradberry
The surname Bradberry is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "brad" and "bury," which translate to "broad" and "fortified place," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near a broad fortified settlement or manor.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Bradberry can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is recorded as "Bradebyre." This document, compiled during the reign of King Edward I, was a census-like survey of landholders in England. The name's appearance in this record indicates that it was already well-established by that time.
The Bradberry surname is also mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, a collection of medieval manorial records from Yorkshire, England. These rolls span the years 1274 to 1297 and provide insights into the lives and legal disputes of individuals residing in the area during that period.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including "Bradbury," "Bradbiry," and "Bradbyry," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common in those times. One notable individual from this era was John Bradberry, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1320.
The 16th century saw the emergence of several prominent figures with the Bradberry surname. William Bradberry, born in 1521 in Warwickshire, was a respected scholar and author. His work, "A Treatise on the English Language," published in 1578, was widely acclaimed for its insights into the evolution of the English language.
Another notable individual from this period was Elizabeth Bradberry, who lived from 1542 to 1612. She was a prominent landowner and philanthropist in Oxfordshire, known for her charitable contributions to the local community.
In the 17th century, the Bradberry surname gained further recognition with the achievements of Thomas Bradberry, born in 1635 in Lincolnshire. He was a renowned mathematician and astronomer, making significant contributions to the fields of navigation and cartography.
The 18th century saw the rise of Sir Robert Bradberry, born in 1712 in Yorkshire. He was a distinguished military officer who served in the British Army during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. His bravery and leadership earned him several honors, including a knighthood.
Moving into the 19th century, one of the most notable figures with the Bradberry surname was Emily Bradberry, born in 1829 in Lancashire. She was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, founding several schools and advocating for equal educational opportunities for girls and women.
Throughout its long history, the Bradberry surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, landowners, military leaders, and philanthropists. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by those who have contributed to the rich tapestry of human endeavor.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bradberry
Among Census respondents with the surname Bradberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (18.6%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Bradberry bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bradberry surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.5% · 2,343
- Black or African American18.6% · 584
- Two or more races3.3% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 83
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bradberry
Bradberry appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,440
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,446
+149 bearers (+4.5%)
Per 100,000 1.17
Rank movement Down 329 places
2020
#9,823
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,144
-302 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Down 383 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,111 | 3,297 | 1.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,440 | 3,446 | 1.17 | +149 bearers (+4.5%) | Down 329 places |
| 2020 | #9,823 | 3,144 | 1.05 | -302 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 383 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bradberry surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,440 | #9,823 | -4.1% |
| Count | 3,446 | 3,144 | -8.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.17 | 1.05 | -10.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bradberry bearers went from 3,446 to 3,144 (-8.8% change). The surname moved down 383 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,440 to #9,823.
FAQ
Bradberry surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bradberry?
Name Census estimates that about 3,605 living Americans carry the surname Bradberry. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,077 residents.
How common is Bradberry?
Bradberry ranks #9,823 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,144 people with the surname Bradberry. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,605), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bradberry.
Has Bradberry become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bradberry went from 3,446 recorded bearers to 3,144. That is a decrease of 302 (-8.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,440 to #9,823.
What does the Census say about the background of Bradberry?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bradberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (18.6%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bradberry in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.5% (2,343 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bradberry appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.5%), Black (18.6%), Two or More Races (3.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bradberry (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bradberry mean?
From an English place name meaning "broad fortification" or "wide fort," derived from Old English brād and burh. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bradberry (1.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Bradberry?
Find out how many people have the last name Bradberry on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.