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

Brest, 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 Brest surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brest in America

Brest is the 47966th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brest surname appeared 441 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 Brest.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brest 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 Brest

The surname BREST originates from France, where it can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the name of the city of Brest, located in the Brittany region of northwestern France. The name itself is believed to come from the Breton word "brest," meaning "promontory" or "hill."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BREST can be found in the Livre des Bourgeois de Brest, a 14th-century document listing the names of citizens of the city of Brest. This document is a valuable historical record that provides insight into the lives and occupations of the inhabitants of the region during that time.

In the 15th century, the surname BREST appeared in various other historical records, such as the Livre des Censiers de Brest, which documented landowners and taxpayers in the area. This suggests that the BREST family may have held influential positions or owned property in the region during that era.

One notable figure bearing the surname BREST was Jean Brest (1595-1667), a French naval officer and explorer who played a significant role in the colonization of the Caribbean islands. He was appointed Governor of the French West Indies in 1650 and is credited with establishing several settlements in the region.

Another individual of note was Gustave Brest (1801-1874), a French politician and lawyer who served as a member of the French National Assembly in the mid-19th century. He was a vocal advocate for legal reform and played a crucial role in shaping the laws of his time.

In the realm of art, the name BREST is associated with Lucien Brest (1870-1935), a French painter and sculptor known for his Impressionist works depicting scenes from everyday life in Paris and the surrounding countryside.

Moving into the 20th century, the name BREST gained further recognition with Jacques Brest (1914-1997), a renowned French film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his critically acclaimed films, such as "Hiroshima Mon Amour" and "Last Year at Marienbad," which explored themes of memory, identity, and the complexities of human relationships.

Additionally, the BREST surname has been carried by prominent figures in various other fields, including science, literature, and academia, further contributing to its historical significance and cultural impact.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brest

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

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

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

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