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

Brashears, 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 Brashears surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brashears in America

Brashears is the 13985th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brashears surname appeared 2,155 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 Brashears.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brashears 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 Brashears

The surname Brashears has its origins in England, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bræsc" and "hæran," meaning "brush" and "hare," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in an area known for its abundance of brush and hares.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Brashears can be found in various parish records and tax rolls from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was John Brashears, who was born in the village of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in 1587.

In the 17th century, the name Brashears began to appear in other parts of England, such as Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. It is possible that the surname was also influenced by the place name "Brashfield," a small hamlet located in Warwickshire.

One notable individual with the surname Brashears was William Brashears, a merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Bristol in the late 17th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the thriving maritime trade of the time and owned several properties in the city.

During the 18th century, the Brashears surname continued to spread across England, with families bearing the name settling in various counties, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. In 1765, a man named Thomas Brashears was recorded as serving in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War.

As the 19th century dawned, the Brashears surname gained further recognition with the birth of John Brashears Jr. in 1840. He became a renowned astronomer and lens maker, contributing significantly to the field of optics and telescope design. His work was highly regarded by his contemporaries, and he received several awards and honors during his lifetime.

Another notable figure with the Brashears surname was Mary Brashears, a writer and activist born in 1865. She was a vocal advocate for women's rights and suffrage, publishing numerous articles and essays on the subject. Her contributions to the feminist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were widely recognized.

Throughout history, the surname Brashears has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, soldiers, scientists, and writers. While its origins can be traced back to rural England, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by families and individuals who have left their mark on various aspects of society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brashears

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

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

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

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