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

Bresnan, 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 Bresnan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bresnan in America

Bresnan is the 42163rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bresnan surname appeared 515 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 Bresnan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bresnan 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 Bresnan

The surname Bresnan is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is thought to be an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic name O'Breasnain, which means "descendant of Breasnain." Breasnain is a personal name derived from the word "bres," meaning "strife" or "conflict."

In the early medieval period, the Bresnan family was concentrated in the counties of Sligo and Mayo in the west of Ireland. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient Irish annals and manuscripts, such as the Annals of the Four Masters.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Bresnan name was Aodh O'Breasnain, a prominent chieftain who lived in the 13th century. He is mentioned in the Annals of Connacht, which document his involvement in several conflicts and battles.

As the Bresnan family spread across Ireland, various spelling variations emerged, including Bresnan, Bresnahan, and Breasnahan. Some records from the 16th and 17th centuries refer to the name as Bresnaghane or Bressingham.

In the late 17th century, a branch of the Bresnan family settled in County Cavan, where they became influential landowners. One notable member of this family was Patrick Bresnan (1768-1841), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist who donated funds for the construction of several schools and churches in the area.

Another prominent figure with the Bresnan surname was Michael Bresnan (1824-1897), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Lexington, Kentucky, in the United States. He was known for his advocacy of Catholic education and his efforts to establish schools and orphanages throughout his diocese.

In the 19th century, many individuals with the Bresnan surname immigrated to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. One such immigrant was John Bresnan (1842-1912), who settled in New York City and became a successful businessman and real estate developer.

Throughout history, the Bresnan surname has been associated with various professions, including clergy, landowners, merchants, and professionals. While the name may have originated in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with descendants bearing the Bresnan name making significant contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bresnan

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

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

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

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