2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Brahs
A German or Danish surname possibly derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Brahs. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brahs 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.
Bearers in the US
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Brahs in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brahs, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brahs
The surname "BRAHS" is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "braht," which meant "bright" or "shining." This etymology suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive term, possibly referring to someone with fair hair or a bright complexion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony. In this compilation, a certain "Johannes Brahs" is mentioned as a witness in a land transaction dating back to 1248.
In the 14th century, the name appears in the Liber Censualis, a tax record from the city of Nuremberg. This document lists several individuals with the surname "Brahs," indicating that the name had become established in the region by this time.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the name was Hans Brahs (1465-1532), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg. His works, which included religious subjects and portraits, were renowned for their intricate detail and skillful execution.
Another historical figure of note was Johann Brahs (1556-1628), a German theologian and philosopher. He served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and was known for his writings on logic and metaphysics.
In the realm of literature, the name appears in the works of the German poet and dramatist Johann Christoph Gottsched (1700-1766). In his play "Der Sterbende Cato" (The Dying Cato), a character named "Brahs" is mentioned, suggesting that the surname was familiar to Gottsched and his contemporaries.
Moving into the 19th century, a prominent figure with the surname was Karl Brahs (1812-1892), a German architect and urban planner. He was responsible for the design of several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichstag and the Neue Wache.
Another individual of note from this period was Friedrich Brahs (1836-1911), a German military officer and historian. He served in the Prussian army and later wrote several books on military strategy and tactics, drawing from his own experiences in the Franco-Prussian War.
It is important to note that these examples are not exhaustive, and there may be other significant figures throughout history who bore the surname "BRAHS." However, these instances provide a glimpse into the rich historical tapestry woven by this name and its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brahs
Among Census respondents with the surname Brahs, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Brahs 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 Brahs surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino7.0% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brahs
Brahs 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,139 places
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,552 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,139 places |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 1,552 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 Brahs 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 | #157,234 | #155,682 | 1.0% |
| Count | 103 | 100 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brahs bearers went from 103 to 100 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 1,552 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #155,682.
FAQ
Brahs surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brahs?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Brahs. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Brahs?
Brahs ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 100 people with the surname Brahs. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Brahs.
Has Brahs become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brahs went from 103 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Brahs?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brahs, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Brahs in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brahs appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Hispanic (7.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Brahs (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 Brahs mean?
A German or Danish surname possibly derived from a place name. 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 Brahs (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Brahs?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.