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

Brawn, 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 Brawn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brawn in America

Brawn is the 15429th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brawn surname appeared 1,899 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 Brawn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brawn 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 Brawn

The surname Brawn is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "brægen," which means "brain" or "power of mind." It likely originated in the early medieval period, around the 10th or 11th century.

In its earliest form, the name may have been used as a descriptive nickname for someone perceived as intelligent or possessing great mental prowess. Over time, it evolved into a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Brawn can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Braghen." This suggests that the name was already in use among the Anglo-Saxon population before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

During the Middle Ages, various spelling variations emerged, including Brayn, Brayne, and Braine. These variations likely reflected regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

One notable individual with the surname Brawn was Sir John Brawn, a prominent English merchant and diplomat who lived in the 15th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1459 and played a crucial role in negotiating trade agreements with the Hanseatic League.

In the 16th century, the name appears in records from Staffordshire, where the village of Braine was located. This may have been a place of origin for some Brawn families.

Another notable figure was Thomas Brawn, a renowned English architect and surveyor who lived from 1588 to 1660. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including Wilton House and the Banqueting House in Whitehall.

In the 17th century, the name Brawn gained prominence in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances was Edward Brawn, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and became a prominent landowner and planter.

During the 18th century, the surname Brawn was particularly prevalent in the English counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. One notable individual from this period was William Brawn (1735-1815), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Brawn families migrated from rural areas to urban centers, seeking employment in factories and mills. One notable figure from this period was John Brawn (1819-1892), a successful industrialist and businessman who founded the Brawn Engineering Company in Birmingham.

Throughout its history, the surname Brawn has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, from merchants and diplomats to architects, military leaders, and industrialists. While its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, the name has endured and continues to be carried by families around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brawn

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

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

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

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