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

Bretz, 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 Bretz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bretz in America

Bretz is the 8867th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bretz surname appeared 3,693 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bretz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bretz 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 Bretz

The surname Bretz is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria. It likely emerged during the Middle Ages, sometime between the 11th and 15th centuries. The name Bretz is thought to be derived from the Germanic root "brant" or "brant," meaning "burned" or "cleared by fire." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on a plot of land that had been cleared by burning.

One of the earliest known references to the name Bretz can be found in a land register from the town of Augsburg, Bavaria, dated around 1350. This register mentions a certain "Hans Bretz," indicating that the name was already in use at that time. Another early record comes from the town of Nuremberg, where a "Peter Bretz" is listed in a tax roll from 1412.

During the late Middle Ages and early modern period, the name Bretz appeared in various records and documents across southern Germany. For instance, in 1487, a "Konrad Bretz" is mentioned in a legal document from the city of Regensburg. In the 16th century, a man named "Johannes Bretz" gained some notoriety as a Protestant reformer and ally of Martin Luther.

As the centuries passed, the name Bretz spread beyond its Bavarian origins. In the 17th century, a "Hans Bretz" is recorded as a landowner in the town of Alsfeld, in the neighboring region of Hesse. A century later, in 1782, a "Johann Bretz" is listed as a resident of the village of Rohrbach, in the Palatinate region.

Notably, some variations of the name emerged over time, such as "Bretz," "Brez," and "Brätz." These alternate spellings were likely influenced by local dialects and scribal practices. Additionally, the name Bretz has been associated with several place names, such as the village of Bretzenheim in Rhineland-Palatinate, which may have contributed to its spread.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Bretz throughout history are:

1. Konrad Bretz (c. 1460-1525), a German humanist and theologian from Regensburg.
2. Johannes Bretz (c. 1520-1590), a Protestant reformer and associate of Martin Luther.
3. Hans Bretz (c. 1625-1702), a landowner and merchant from Alsfeld, Hesse.
4. Johann Bretz (1715-1789), a farmer and vintner from Rohrbach, Palatinate.
5. Wilhelm Bretz (1835-1907), a German-American artist and painter known for his landscapes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bretz

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

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

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

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