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

Brees, 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 Brees surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brees in America

Brees is the 28333rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brees surname appeared 843 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 Brees.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brees 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 Brees

The surname Brees has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bres," which means "breach" or "break," referring to someone who lived near a gap or opening in a hedge or fence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brees can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Henricus de la Brese." This suggests that the name may have initially been a locative surname, referring to a person's place of residence or origin.

Variants of the name include Brese, Breese, and Brease, which can be found in various historical records throughout the centuries. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a "Johanna Brese," while the Feet of Fines of Staffordshire from 1509 reference a "William Brese."

The surname Brees has also been associated with certain place names in England, such as Brese in Somerset and Breese in Shropshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Brees include:

1. Sir John Brees (1619-1692), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Kent during the reign of Charles II.
2. Thomas Brees (1663-1735), an English clockmaker and watchmaker who worked in London during the early 18th century.
3. Samuel Brees (1765-1825), an English writer and editor known for his works on agriculture and horticulture.
4. William Brees (1777-1865), a British architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London.
5. James Brees (1825-1899), an English landscape painter and member of the Royal Society of British Artists.

While the surname Brees has its roots in England, it has since been adopted and carried by families across various parts of the world, contributing to the rich tapestry of global surnames and their diverse histories.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brees

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

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

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

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