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

Brea, 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 Brea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brea in America

Brea is the 19062nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brea surname appeared 1,428 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 Brea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brea 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 Brea

The surname BREA originated in the Catalonia region of Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Catalan word "brea," which means "tar" or "pitch." This suggests that the name was likely associated with individuals who worked with tar or pitch, perhaps in shipbuilding or roofing industries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BREA surname can be found in a document from the 13th century, which mentions a man named Pere de Brea residing in the town of Vilanova i la Geltrú, near Barcelona. This suggests that the name had already become established as a surname by that time.

In the 14th century, there are records of a family named BREA residing in the town of Reus, also in Catalonia. This family was involved in the production and trade of tar, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the tar industry.

During the 15th century, the BREA surname began to spread beyond Catalonia. Records show individuals bearing this name in various parts of Spain, including Andalusia and the Basque Country. This likely occurred as a result of migration and trade between different regions.

One notable historical figure with the BREA surname was Joan Brea, a 16th-century philosopher and humanist from Barcelona. He was born in 1501 and gained recognition for his writings on ethics and morality.

Another prominent individual was Pedro de Brea, a 17th-century Spanish military officer who fought in the Thirty Years' War. He was born in 1605 and served under the renowned Spanish general Ambrosio Spinola.

In the 18th century, the BREA surname can be found in records from the Spanish colonies in the Americas. For example, there was a family named BREA living in Havana, Cuba, during this period.

One noteworthy bearer of the BREA name was Antonio de Brea y Arango, a Cuban writer and poet who lived from 1787 to 1847. He was known for his contributions to the Romantic literary movement in Cuba.

In more recent history, Matías Brea was a renowned Argentine artist and sculptor who lived from 1924 to 2018. He was best known for his public sculptures and monuments found throughout Argentina and other parts of Latin America.

While the BREA surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Latin America, due to migration and the Spanish colonial influence. Despite its widespread distribution, the name's connection to the tar industry in Catalonia remains an integral part of its historical origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brea

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

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

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

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