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

Branker, 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 Branker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Branker in America

Branker is the 67318th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Branker surname appeared 293 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Branker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Branker 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 Branker

The surname Branker is believed to have originated in England, likely during the 16th or 17th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "branc," meaning a branch or bough, and the suffix "-er," which denotes an occupation or trait. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked with branches, such as a forester or woodcutter.

Early records of the surname Branker can be found in parish registers and tax records from various counties in England, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John Branker, who is mentioned in the Gloucestershire Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1576.

The name Branker has also been associated with certain place names in England, such as Branksome in Dorset and Brancker in Lincolnshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Branker throughout history include Sir Ralph Branker (1590-1658), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as a Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Charles I. Another prominent figure was William Branker (1635-1670), an English mathematician and astrologer who was a member of the Royal Society and worked with renowned scientists like Isaac Newton.

In the 18th century, John Branker (1710-1785) was a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia, United States, who played a role in the colony's economic and political affairs. Later, in the 19th century, Thomas Branker (1825-1892) was a British soldier and explorer who led expeditions in Africa and wrote accounts of his travels.

More recently, in the 20th century, Vera Branker (1916-2005) was a Jamaican artist and educator who made significant contributions to the development of art education in her country and was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government.

While the surname Branker is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including lawyers, scientists, merchants, soldiers, and artists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Branker

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

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

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

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