2000
#66,878
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 276
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Brenon
A derivative of the French word "brenon" meaning moor or marshland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 275 Americans carry the last name Brenon. That puts it at #84,231 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,246,379 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brenon 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
275
1 in 1,246,379
Census rank
#84,231
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
240
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 240 bearers of the surname Brenon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 84231st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brenon, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brenon
The surname Brenon originated in France, with roots that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "bren," meaning "bran" or "wheat husk." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the production or trade of wheat and its byproducts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brenon can be found in the Cartulaire de Notre-Dame de Paris, a medieval manuscript from the 12th century. This document mentions a certain "Radulfus Brenon," indicating that the name was already in use during that time period.
In the 13th century, there are records of a noble family bearing the name Brenon in the region of Burgundy, France. They owned lands and properties in the area, and their name was often associated with various locations and place names, such as "Brenon-sur-Marne" and "Brenon-la-Ville."
One notable figure from this era was Jean Brenon, a French knight who participated in the Seventh Crusade (1248-1254) under the leadership of King Louis IX. He is mentioned in several chronicles and manuscripts documenting the events of the crusade.
During the Renaissance period, the name Brenon became more widespread, with several individuals achieving recognition in various fields. Pierre Brenon (1472-1537) was a renowned French jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the Parlement of Paris.
In the realm of art, Claude Brenon (1598-1661) was a notable French painter known for his religious works and portraits. He was commissioned by several churches and wealthy patrons in Paris and the surrounding regions.
Another prominent figure was François Brenon (1632-1719), a French Jesuit priest and philosopher. He taught at the College of Louis-le-Grand in Paris and wrote several influential works on theology and ethics.
As the centuries progressed, the Brenon name continued to appear in various contexts throughout France. Some notable examples include Étienne Brenon (1779-1847), a French politician and lawyer who served as a deputy during the French Revolution, and Léon Brenon (1859-1940), a French entrepreneur and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the steel industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the surname Brenon has its roots firmly planted in French soil, it has also found its way into other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, the majority of historical references and notable individuals bearing this name can be traced back to its origins in France, where it has left an indelible mark on the country's rich history and cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brenon
Among Census respondents with the surname Brenon, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Brenon 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 Brenon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 228
- Two or more races2.5% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brenon
Brenon 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
#80,131
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 237
-39 bearers (-14.1%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 13,253 places
2020
#84,231
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 240
+3 bearers (+1.3%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 4,100 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #66,878 | 276 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #80,131 | 237 | 0.08 | -39 bearers (-14.1%) | Down 13,253 places |
| 2020 | #84,231 | 240 | 0.08 | +3 bearers (+1.3%) | Down 4,100 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 Brenon 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 | #80,131 | #84,231 | -5.1% |
| Count | 237 | 240 | 1.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brenon bearers went from 237 to 240 (+1.3% change). The surname moved down 4,100 positions in the national ranking, going from #80,131 to #84,231.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Brenon
FAQ
Brenon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brenon?
Name Census estimates that about 275 living Americans carry the surname Brenon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,246,379 residents.
How common is Brenon?
Brenon ranks #84,231 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 240 people with the surname Brenon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (275), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Brenon.
Has Brenon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brenon went from 237 recorded bearers to 240. That is an increase of 3 (+1.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #80,131 to #84,231.
What does the Census say about the background of Brenon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brenon, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Brenon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (228 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brenon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Two or More Races (2.5%), Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Brenon (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 Brenon mean?
A derivative of the French word "brenon" meaning moor or marshland. 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 Brenon (0.08 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 Brenon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.