2000
#5,773
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,495
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.04
Rare Last name
Bramlett
An English locational surname derived from any of the places named Bramley, meaning "clearing or wood where brambles grow."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,099 Americans carry the last name Bramlett. That puts it at #6,174 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 56,198 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bramlett 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
6.1K
1 in 56,198
Census rank
#6,174
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,319 bearers of the surname Bramlett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6174th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bramlett, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.4%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bramlett
The surname Bramlett has its origins in England, tracing back to the 14th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "brom" meaning "broom" and "leah" meaning "a clearing or meadow." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place known for its broom-covered fields or meadows.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bramlett can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332, where John de Bromlegh is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the locational nature of the surname.
During the medieval period, the Bramlett surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Kent and Surrey, where several families bearing this name were recorded in various historical documents and parish records.
In the 16th century, a notable reference to the Bramlett name appears in the will of Richard Bramlett, dated 1572, from the parish of Sutton-at-Hone in Kent. This document provides valuable insights into the family's presence in the region during that era.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Bramlett was William Bramlett, born in 1585 in Wrotham, Kent. He was a respected landowner and served as a local justice of the peace.
Another noteworthy figure was John Bramlett (1620-1689), a prosperous merchant and landowner from Farningham, Kent. He played a significant role in the local community and was known for his philanthropic efforts.
In the 18th century, the Bramlett surname gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of Thomas Bramlett (1744-1812), a renowned poet and author from East Grinstead, Sussex. His works were widely celebrated during his lifetime.
The Bramlett name also found its way across the Atlantic, with records indicating that Thomas Bramlett (1780-1856) was among the early settlers in Virginia, arriving in the early 19th century from England.
One of the most influential individuals bearing the Bramlett surname was Sir William Bramlett (1825-1897), a prominent politician and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Reigate in Surrey. He was knighted for his distinguished service to the Crown.
Throughout its history, the Bramlett surname has been associated with various professions and pursuits, from landowners and merchants to authors and politicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bramlett
Among Census respondents with the surname Bramlett, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.4%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bramlett 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 Bramlett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.4% · 4,328
- Black or African American9.4% · 500
- Two or more races5.5% · 291
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 128
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 39
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 33
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bramlett
Bramlett 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
#6,226
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,494
-1 bearers (-0.0%)
Per 100,000 1.86
Rank movement Down 453 places
2020
#6,174
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,319
-175 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 1.78
Rank movement Up 52 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,773 | 5,495 | 2.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,226 | 5,494 | 1.86 | -1 bearers (-0.0%) | Down 453 places |
| 2020 | #6,174 | 5,319 | 1.78 | -175 bearers (-3.2%) | Up 52 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 Bramlett 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 | #6,226 | #6,174 | 0.8% |
| Count | 5,494 | 5,319 | -3.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.86 | 1.78 | -4.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bramlett bearers went from 5,494 to 5,319 (-3.2% change). The surname moved up 52 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,226 to #6,174.
FAQ
Bramlett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bramlett?
Name Census estimates that about 6,099 living Americans carry the surname Bramlett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 56,198 residents.
How common is Bramlett?
Bramlett ranks #6,174 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.78 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,319 people with the surname Bramlett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,099), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.78 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Bramlett.
Has Bramlett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bramlett went from 5,494 recorded bearers to 5,319. That is a decrease of 175 (-3.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,226 to #6,174.
What does the Census say about the background of Bramlett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bramlett, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (9.4%) and Two or More Races (5.5%). 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 Bramlett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.4% (4,328 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bramlett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.4%), Black (9.4%), Two or More Races (5.5%). 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 Bramlett (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 Bramlett mean?
An English locational surname derived from any of the places named Bramley, meaning "clearing or wood where brambles grow." 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 Bramlett (1.78 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 are called Bramlett?
Find out how many people have the last name Bramlett on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.