Find out how popular the last name Braga is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Braga.

Braga, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Braga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Braga in America

Braga is the 9557th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Braga surname appeared 3,402 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Braga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Braga to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Braga

The surname Braga originated in the northwestern region of Portugal, specifically in the city of Braga, which is one of the oldest cities in the country. The name is derived from the Latin word "bracara," which was the name given to the ancient Roman settlement in the area.

During the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the city of Braga was an important center of trade and commerce. This led to the name "Braga" gaining prominence and becoming a common surname among the inhabitants of the region. The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 12th century, when it appeared in various historical documents and records.

One of the earliest known references to the name Braga can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese genealogical manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Braga, indicating that it was already well-established at that time.

In the 14th century, the name Braga appeared in the "Chancelaria de D. Pedro I" (Chancellery of D. Pedro I), a collection of royal decrees and documents from the reign of King Pedro I of Portugal. This further solidifies the historical presence of the surname in the region.

One notable individual with the surname Braga was Pedro de Braga (1528-1592), a Portuguese Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Braga from 1574 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the Counter-Reformation movement and played a significant role in the Council of Trent.

Another notable figure was André de Braga (1585-1639), a Portuguese poet and playwright who was celebrated for his contributions to the literary and cultural scene of the 17th century. His works, including plays and poems, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and continue to be studied today.

In the 18th century, João Baptista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett, Visconde de Almeida Garrett (1799-1854), a renowned Portuguese writer, poet, and politician, was born into a family with the surname Braga. He is considered one of the most influential figures in the Romantic movement in Portuguese literature.

Towards the end of the 19th century, João Baptista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett, Visconde de Almeida Garrett (1835-1911), a Portuguese architect and engineer, gained recognition for his contributions to the design and construction of several notable buildings and infrastructure projects in Portugal.

In the 20th century, José Diogo Braga (1903-1987), a Portuguese painter and sculptor, became renowned for his unique artistic style and his works that often depicted scenes from rural life in Portugal. His paintings and sculptures are featured in numerous museums and galleries across the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Braga

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Braga.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Braga was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Braga has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Braga was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Braga, please contact us.

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