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

Breen, 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 Breen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Breen in America

Breen is the 2549th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Breen surname appeared 14,170 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Breen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Breen 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 Breen

The surname Breen is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "broin," which means "sadness" or "sorrow." The name is believed to have originated in County Tipperary during the 11th century.

In its earliest forms, the surname was spelled as "O'Braoin" or "O'Breen," with the prefix "O'" indicating a descendant of a particular clan or family. Over time, the prefix was dropped, and the name evolved into its modern spelling of "Breen."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Breen can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, an Irish chronicle that dates back to the 12th century. The annals mention a notable individual named Aodh O'Breen, who was a member of the clergy and served as the Bishop of Killaloe from 1152 to 1161.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Breen surname was particularly prominent in County Clare and County Limerick. In the 1659 census of Ireland, several Breen families were recorded in these regions, including John Breen of Ballynalackan, County Clare, and William Breen of Gort Breen, County Limerick.

One notable figure in Irish history bearing the Breen surname was John Breen, a revolutionary leader who fought against British rule in the late 18th century. Born in County Wexford in 1759, Breen played a pivotal role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and was eventually executed for his involvement in the uprising.

In the literary world, the Irish writer Brian Breen (1923-1993) gained recognition for his novels and short stories that explored themes of Irish identity and culture. His best-known works include "The Lilac Bus" (1969) and "The Final Door" (1980).

Another significant individual with the Breen surname was Sir John Breen (1836-1904), a British naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the late 19th century. His contributions to polar exploration earned him recognition and honors, including a knighthood in 1897.

While the Breen name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish emigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Breen

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

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

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

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