2000
#3,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,941
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.06
Uncommon Last name
Branson
An English habitational surname derived from places named Branston, likely meaning "Brant's town" or "burnt town."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,174 Americans carry the last name Branson. That puts it at #3,324 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,155 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Branson 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Branson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,155
Census rank
#3,324
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,616 bearers of the surname Branson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3324th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Branson, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Black (8.1%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Branson
The surname Branson originated in England and is derived from the Old English words "bræn" meaning burnt or burned, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in or near a burned or charred area.
The earliest known recorded instance of the name Branson dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled "Brantestone." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings in England and Wales.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Bransone" and "Brantson." These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.
One notable bearer of the Branson name was Sir John Branson, a prominent English merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 15th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1463.
In the 16th century, the surname Branson was often associated with place names such as Branston, a village in Lincolnshire, and Brantston, a small hamlet in East Yorkshire. These place names are believed to have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
Another historical figure of note was Thomas Branson, born in 1619, who was a prominent lawyer and judge in the American colony of Virginia. He served as the Speaker of the House of Burgesses and played a significant role in shaping the legal system of the colony.
During the 18th century, the Branson surname gained recognition through the works of Richard Branson, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1735 to 1803. He was known for his religious writings and sermons.
In the 19th century, the name Branson was associated with the English naturalist and explorer William Branson, born in 1816. He conducted extensive explorations in Africa and contributed significantly to the study of the continent's flora and fauna.
The Branson surname has continued to be widespread in various parts of the world, with notable bearers in fields such as business, science, and the arts. However, historical records from earlier centuries provide a valuable insight into the origins and evolution of this English surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Branson
Among Census respondents with the surname Branson, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Black (8.1%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Branson 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 Branson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.5% · 8,754
- Black or African American8.1% · 858
- Two or more races4.5% · 479
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 371
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 85
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 69
Timeline
Historical Census data for Branson
Branson 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
#3,106
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,587
+646 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 3.93
Rank movement Down 69 places
2020
#3,324
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,616
-971 bearers (-8.4%)
Per 100,000 3.55
Rank movement Down 218 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,037 | 10,941 | 4.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,106 | 11,587 | 3.93 | +646 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 69 places |
| 2020 | #3,324 | 10,616 | 3.55 | -971 bearers (-8.4%) | Down 218 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 Branson 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 | #3,106 | #3,324 | -7.0% |
| Count | 11,587 | 10,616 | -8.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.93 | 3.55 | -9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Branson bearers went from 11,587 to 10,616 (-8.4% change). The surname moved down 218 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,106 to #3,324.
FAQ
Branson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Branson?
Name Census estimates that about 12,174 living Americans carry the surname Branson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,155 residents.
How common is Branson?
Branson ranks #3,324 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.55 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,616 people with the surname Branson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,174), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.55 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.55 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Branson.
Has Branson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Branson went from 11,587 recorded bearers to 10,616. That is a decrease of 971 (-8.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,106 to #3,324.
What does the Census say about the background of Branson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Branson, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Black (8.1%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Branson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.5% (8,754 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Branson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.5%), Black (8.1%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Branson (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 Branson mean?
An English habitational surname derived from places named Branston, likely meaning "Brant's town" or "burnt town." 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 Branson (3.55 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 have the last name Branson?
Want to know how many people have the last name Branson? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.