2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bredell
From a broad river valley.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Bredell. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bredell 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Bredell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bredell, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.7%. The next largest groups are Black (39.1%) and Two or More Races (6.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bredell
The surname Bredell is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, specifically in the region of Gelderland, during the 16th or 17th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch words "brede" meaning "broad" and "dal" meaning "valley," suggesting a connection to a broad valley or a geographical feature.
One of the earliest known references to the name Bredell can be found in the Dutch archives from the late 16th century, where it appears in records related to land ownership and taxation. The name was likely associated with families who lived in or owned property in a broad valley or a similar location.
In the 17th century, the Bredell family gained some prominence in the Netherlands, with several members holding positions of authority in local governments and the Dutch Reformed Church. One notable figure from this period was Johannes Bredell (1620-1688), a Dutch theologian and minister who served as a professor at the University of Leiden.
As the Dutch explored and established colonies around the world, the surname Bredell spread to various parts of the globe. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with the surname Bredell settling in South Africa, where it remains a relatively common name today. One of the earliest known South African Bredells was Pieter Bredell (1720-1795), a farmer and landowner in the Cape Colony.
Another significant figure was Willem Bredell (1788-1863), a South African politician and military leader who played a role in the Great Trek and the establishment of the Boer Republics. He was also a prominent figure in the Frontier Wars between the Boers and the British.
In the United States, the surname Bredell can be traced back to the late 19th century, when Dutch and South African immigrants brought the name to the country. One notable American with the surname was John Bredell (1867-1942), a businessman and philanthropist from New York who made significant contributions to various educational and cultural institutions.
While the surname Bredell is not among the most common surnames globally, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and continents, reflecting the migration patterns and influences of Dutch and South African communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bredell
Among Census respondents with the surname Bredell, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.7%. The next largest groups are Black (39.1%) and Two or More Races (6.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Bredell 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 Bredell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White52.7% · 58
- Black or African American39.1% · 43
- Two or more races6.4% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bredell
Bredell 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+17 bearers (+15.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,893 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-16 bearers (-12.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,583 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+15.6%) | Up 6,893 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.7%) | Down 15,583 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 Bredell 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 | #133,863 | #149,446 | -11.6% |
| Count | 126 | 110 | -12.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bredell bearers went from 126 to 110 (-12.7% change). The surname moved down 15,583 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #149,446.
FAQ
Bredell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bredell?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Bredell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Bredell?
Bredell ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Bredell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Bredell.
Has Bredell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bredell went from 126 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Bredell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bredell, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.7%. The next largest groups are Black (39.1%) and Two or More Races (6.4%). 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 Bredell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 52.7% (58 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bredell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (52.7%), Black (39.1%), Two or More Races (6.4%). 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 Bredell (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 Bredell mean?
From a broad river valley. 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 Bredell (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 many people share the surname Bredell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.