2000
#7,806
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,929
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.46
Rare Last name
Brainard
Derived from a place name meaning "broad clearing" in Old English, originally referring to a person from such a location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,392 Americans carry the last name Brainard. That puts it at #8,279 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.28 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 78,041 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brainard 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
4.4K
1 in 78,041
Census rank
#8,279
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,830 bearers of the surname Brainard in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.28 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8279th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brainard, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brainard
The surname Brainard originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "brægen" meaning brain and "hierde" meaning herdsman or keeper, suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who tended flocks of sheep or other livestock.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brainard can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Braghenard." This entry indicates that individuals with variations of this surname held lands in various parts of England at the time of the Norman Conquest.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname appeared in various historical records with spellings such as "Braynard," "Braynerde," and "Braynherde." These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling during that period, as well as the influence of different regional dialects.
One notable figure with the surname Brainard was Sir John Brainard (c. 1450-1508), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1501. He was a prominent merchant and played a significant role in the governance of the city during his tenure.
Another individual of note was Daniel Brainerd (1719-1753), an American missionary who dedicated his life to spreading Christianity among the Native American tribes in New England and Pennsylvania. His efforts and writings had a lasting impact on the Christian missionary movement in the American colonies.
In the 19th century, John Brainard (1796-1828) was a notable American poet and journalist. His works, including "The Connecticut River" and "The Fall of Niagara," were widely praised and helped establish him as a prominent figure in the literary circles of his time.
One of the most prominent individuals with the surname Brainard was David Brainerd (1718-1747), an American missionary and religious leader who worked tirelessly to convert Native Americans to Christianity. His personal journals, which documented his experiences and struggles, became highly influential in the evangelical movement and inspired generations of missionaries.
Another notable figure was David Brainerd (1856-1946), an American botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the study of flora in the southwestern United States. He discovered and documented numerous new plant species, and his extensive collections are housed in various herbaria across the country.
While the surname Brainard has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to the Americas and other English-speaking countries. The name has endured for centuries and continues to be associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brainard
Among Census respondents with the surname Brainard, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Brainard 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 Brainard surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 3,439
- Two or more races4.2% · 159
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 134
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 43
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 31
- Black or African American0.6% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brainard
Brainard 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
#8,299
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,992
+63 bearers (+1.6%)
Per 100,000 1.35
Rank movement Down 493 places
2020
#8,279
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,830
-162 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 1.28
Rank movement Up 20 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,806 | 3,929 | 1.46 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,299 | 3,992 | 1.35 | +63 bearers (+1.6%) | Down 493 places |
| 2020 | #8,279 | 3,830 | 1.28 | -162 bearers (-4.1%) | Up 20 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 Brainard 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 | #8,299 | #8,279 | 0.2% |
| Count | 3,992 | 3,830 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.35 | 1.28 | -5.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brainard bearers went from 3,992 to 3,830 (-4.1% change). The surname moved up 20 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,299 to #8,279.
FAQ
Brainard surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brainard?
Name Census estimates that about 4,392 living Americans carry the surname Brainard. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 78,041 residents.
How common is Brainard?
Brainard ranks #8,279 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.28 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 3,830 people with the surname Brainard. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,392), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.28 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.28 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 Brainard.
Has Brainard become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brainard went from 3,992 recorded bearers to 3,830. That is a decrease of 162 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,299 to #8,279.
What does the Census say about the background of Brainard?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brainard, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Brainard in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (3,439 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brainard appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Brainard (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 Brainard mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "broad clearing" in Old English, originally referring to a person from such a location. 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 Brainard (1.28 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 common is the surname Brainard?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Brainard on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.