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

Brett, 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 Brett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brett in America

Brett is the 6235th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brett surname appeared 5,482 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Brett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brett 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 Brett

The surname Brett has its origins in France and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word 'bret', meaning a Briton or someone from Brittany. This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who came from the region of Brittany or had ancestors from that area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brett can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as 'Bret', indicating its Norman-French roots.

In medieval England, the name was often associated with people from Brittany who had settled in various parts of the country. Some early examples include Robert Bret, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191, and William Bret, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1221.

The spelling of the name evolved over time, with variations such as Bret, Brette, and Britt appearing in historical records. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal preferences.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir Robert Brett (c. 1535-1609), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Henry Bret (1578-1644), an English politician who served as Sheriff of London and Middlesex.

In the 17th century, the name Brett was associated with several notable clergymen, including John Brett (1630-1685), an English clergyman and author, and Richard Brett (1637-1711), an English theologian and controversialist.

As the name spread across England, it became linked to various place names, such as Brett's Hall in Suffolk and Brett's Farm in Kent. These place names likely derived from the presence of families bearing the Brett surname in those locations.

Other notable individuals with the surname Brett throughout history include:

1. John Brett (1831-1902), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of coastal scenes.
2. Walter Brett (1909-1981), an American novelist and screenwriter best known for his work on the film "The Knack...and How to Get It."
3. George Sidney Brett (1876-1942), an English cricketer who played for Hampshire and captained the English national team.
4. Jane Brett (1949-), an American actress known for her roles in films such as "Suspiria" and "Tenebrae."
5. Jeremy Brett (1933-1995), an English actor best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the television series "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brett

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

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

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

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