Brandis
A surname derived from the German word "Brand," meaning an area of burned or cleared land.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 480 Americans carry the last name Brandis. That puts it at #50,362 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 714,072 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brandis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
480
1 in 714,072
Census rank
#50,362
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
415
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 415 bearers of the surname Brandis in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 50362nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brandis, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (7.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brandis
The surname Brandis has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old High German word "brant," which means "burnt" or "burned," and is likely a reference to a person who lived near a clearing or burned area of land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brandis can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to 1170. This document mentions a nobleman named Theodoricus de Brandis, which translates to Theodore of Brandis.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various chronicles and manuscripts, including the Annales Colbazrenses, which mentions a knight named Theodoricus de Brandis who participated in the Prussian Crusade in 1249.
The name Brandis is also associated with several place names in Germany, such as Brandis in Saxony and Brandis in Brandenburg. These place names likely originated from the same root word, referring to areas that were cleared by burning.
One notable figure with the surname Brandis was Johannes Brandis (c. 1490-1558), a German humanist scholar and mathematician. He was born in Lübeck and taught at the University of Rostock, where he made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy and mathematics.
Another prominent individual with the surname was Christian August Brandis (1790-1867), a German philosopher and philologist. He was born in Hildesheim and served as the director of the University Library in Bonn, where he made important contributions to the study of ancient Greek philosophy.
In the 19th century, Carl Brandis (1801-1889), a German botanist and forester, played a significant role in the development of forestry in British India. He was born in Bonn and served as the Inspector General of Forests in India, where he helped establish many of the country's first forest reserves.
The surname Brandis has also been associated with notable figures in the arts, such as Hans Brandis (1920-1994), a German actor and theater director, and Marianne Brandis (1938-2022), a German actress and author known for her roles in various television shows and films.
Throughout its history, the surname Brandis has been found across various regions of Germany, as well as in neighboring countries like Austria and Switzerland. While its origins can be traced back to the 12th century, the name continues to be prevalent and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brandis
Among Census respondents with the surname Brandis, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (7.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Brandis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Brandis surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native7.0%
- Two or more races2.2%
- Black or African American1.9%
- Unknown or suppressed1.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Brandis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,678 | #50,362 | -26.9% |
| Count | 521 | 415 | -20.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.19 | 0.14 | -26.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Brandis bearers went from 521 to 415 (-20.3% change). The surname moved down 10,684 positions in the national ranking, going from #39,678 to #50,362.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Brandis
FAQ
Brandis surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Brandis?
The surname Brandis holds position #50,362 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 480 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Brandis surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brandis, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (7.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.