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

Bran, 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 Bran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bran in America

Bran is the 16887th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bran surname appeared 1,687 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 Bran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bran 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 Bran

The surname Bran has its origins in Wales, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "bran," meaning "crow" or "raven." This connection to the bird species suggests that the name may have been initially used as a nickname for someone with dark hair or complexion.

In medieval Welsh records, the name is often found spelled as "Bran" or "Brân," reflecting the use of the circumflex accent in the Welsh language. Some early examples of the name can be found in the Peniarth Manuscripts, a collection of Welsh manuscripts dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bran was Rhys Bran, a Welsh landowner and noble who lived in the late 13th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents related to land disputes and property transactions in the region of Glamorgan, South Wales.

Another notable figure with this surname was Gwilym Bran (c. 1460 – c. 1530), a Welsh poet and bard who composed works in the traditional Welsh poetic styles of the time. His works are preserved in various manuscript collections, including the Red Book of Hergest.

In the 16th century, the name Bran can be found in the records of the College of Arms in London, which documented the heraldic arms and pedigrees of Welsh families. One such entry is for the family of Lewis Bran of Glamorgan, whose coat of arms included a raven or crow, likely a reference to the meaning of their surname.

During the 17th century, the surname Bran appears in parish records and court documents from various parts of Wales, indicating its continued use and spread throughout the country. One notable individual from this period was Edward Bran (1621 – 1691), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the Bran surname is associated with the Welsh botanist and naturalist, William Bran (1742 – 1812), who conducted extensive studies on the flora and fauna of Wales and published several works on the subject.

While the surname Bran has Welsh origins, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with historical connections to Wales or the British Isles. However, its strongest roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to medieval and early modern Wales.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bran

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

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 Bran 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 Bran 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 Bran was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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