2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Brawand
A habitational surname derived from the town of Braunau, Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Brawand. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brawand 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.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Brawand in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brawand, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brawand
The surname Brawand is believed to have originated in Switzerland during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old Germanic root word "braw," which means "brave" or "bold." This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who exhibited these qualities.
The earliest known record of the Brawand name dates back to the 14th century in the Canton of Bern, where it was spelled "Brawander." It is likely that the name spread to other parts of Switzerland and neighboring regions in the centuries that followed.
One notable early bearer of the Brawand name was Hans Brawand, a Swiss military officer who fought in the Battle of Morat in 1476 against the forces of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Brawand's bravery and leadership during this conflict were celebrated and may have contributed to the name's association with courage and valor.
In the 16th century, the Brawand family established a presence in the town of Biel/Bienne, located in the Canton of Bern. Johann Brawand (1520-1588), a prominent merchant and civic leader, played a significant role in the town's economic and political affairs during this time.
Another notable figure was Peter Brawand (1670-1745), a Swiss theologian and author who served as a pastor in the city of Zurich. His writings on religious topics were widely read and influential in his era.
As the Brawand name spread beyond Switzerland, it underwent various spelling variations. In Germany, for instance, it was sometimes rendered as "Brauwand" or "Brauand." In France, the surname became "Bravant" or "Bravand."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Brawand name in the English-speaking world is that of Johann Brawand (1725-1798), a Swiss-born merchant who emigrated to London in the mid-18th century and established a successful trading business.
Other notable individuals with the Brawand surname include:
- Otto Brawand (1865-1932), a Swiss economist and politician who served as a member of the National Council.
- Emil Brawand (1887-1972), a Swiss architect known for his work on public buildings and churches in the Canton of Bern.
- Hans Brawand (1915-2002), a Swiss businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to educational and cultural institutions.
While the Brawand surname is not particularly common today, it continues to be associated with its Swiss roots and the qualities of bravery and determination that were embodied by its earliest bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brawand
Among Census respondents with the surname Brawand, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Brawand 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 Brawand surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.2% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino5.5% · 6
- Two or more races4.6% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brawand
Brawand 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-12 bearers (-10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 22,595 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+7 bearers (+6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,227 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.5%) | Down 22,595 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.9%) | Up 8,227 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 Brawand 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 | #158,432 | #150,205 | 5.2% |
| Count | 102 | 109 | 6.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 21.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brawand bearers went from 102 to 109 (+6.9% change). The surname moved up 8,227 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #150,205.
FAQ
Brawand surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brawand?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Brawand. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Brawand?
Brawand ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Brawand. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Brawand.
Has Brawand become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brawand went from 102 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 7 (+6.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Brawand?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brawand, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Brawand in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.2% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brawand appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.2%), Hispanic (5.5%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Brawand (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 Brawand mean?
A habitational surname derived from the town of Braunau, Germany. 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 Brawand (0.04 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 common is the surname Brawand?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Brawand on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.