Bresson
A French surname derived from the Old French term "breton" meaning someone from Brittany.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 514 Americans carry the last name Bresson. That puts it at #47,706 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 666,837 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bresson surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
514
1 in 666,837
Census rank
#47,706
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
444
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 444 bearers of the surname Bresson in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 47706th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bresson, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bresson
The surname Bresson originated in France in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "bresse," which referred to a wooded area or thicket. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or worked in a densely forested region.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Bresson can be found in various French records from the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly in regions like Burgundy and Franche-Comté. In some cases, the name appeared in its earlier spellings, such as "Bressom" or "Bresson."
One notable historical reference to the name Bresson is in the 15th-century "Armorial de Gilles Le Bouvier," a collection of heraldic arms and descriptions. This work mentions a family bearing the Bresson name and their coat of arms, indicating their noble status during that period.
In terms of places associated with the name, there is a town called Bresson in the Isère department of southeastern France. It is possible that the surname may have originated from this location or a similar place name.
Several notable individuals have borne the surname Bresson throughout history. One of the earliest was Jean Bresson (c. 1460-1535), a French composer and choir master who served at the courts of Louis XII and Francis I. Another notable figure was Jacques Bresson (1643-1723), a French engraver and printmaker known for his portraits and religious scenes.
In the 19th century, Émile Bresson (1831-1904) was a French lawyer and politician who served as a member of the National Assembly. His contemporary, Henri Bresson (1846-1925), was a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris.
One of the most famous individuals with the surname Bresson was the French photographer and filmmaker Robert Bresson (1901-1999). Known for his minimalist and transcendental style, he directed influential films such as "Au Hasard Balthazar" and "Pickpocket."
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bresson
Among Census respondents with the surname Bresson, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bresson bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Bresson surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.0%
- Hispanic or Latino2.5%
- Unknown or suppressed1.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bresson surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,111 | #47,706 | -22.0% |
| Count | 530 | 444 | -16.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.15 | -25.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Bresson bearers went from 530 to 444 (-16.2% change). The surname moved down 8,595 positions in the national ranking, going from #39,111 to #47,706.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bresson
FAQ
Bresson surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bresson?
The surname Bresson holds position #47,706 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 514 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bresson surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bresson, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.