Breuer
An occupational surname referring to a brewer or beer maker.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,799 Americans carry the last name Breuer. That puts it at #7,992 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.40 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 71,422 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Breuer 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
4.8K
1 in 71,422
Census rank
#7,992
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,138 bearers of the surname Breuer in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.40 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7992nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Breuer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Black (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Breuer
The surname Breuer originated in Germany and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the German word "brauhaus," which means "brewhouse" or "brewery." This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who worked in the brewing industry or lived near a brewery.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Breuer can be found in the 14th century, where a person named Johannes Breuer was mentioned in a document from the city of Cologne in 1367. This suggests that the name was already in use during the medieval period.
The name Breuer is also closely linked to the city of Brewer, which is located in the state of Maine in the United States. This city was named after a German immigrant named John Brewer, who settled in the area in the 18th century. It is possible that the Breuer surname may have been influenced or even derived from the place name Brewer.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Breuer. One of the most prominent was Marcel Breuer (1902-1981), a Hungarian-born American architect and furniture designer who was a pioneer of modern architecture and a master of the International Style. His works include the UNESCO World Heritage site in Chandigarh, India, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.
Another notable figure was Josef Breuer (1842-1925), an Austrian physician who pioneered the use of hypnosis in psychoanalysis and worked closely with Sigmund Freud. His work with the patient Anna O. led to the development of the concept of "talking cure," which became a cornerstone of psychoanalytic therapy.
In the literary world, the name Breuer is associated with the German writer and poet Rolf Dieter Brinkmann (1940-1975), whose full name was Rolf Dieter Brinkmann-Breuer. He was a prominent figure in the German avant-garde literary scene and is known for his experimental prose and poetry.
Other notable individuals with the surname Breuer include Moritz Breuer (1868-1945), a German mathematician and pioneer in the field of algebraic geometry, and Michael Breuer (born 1950), a German journalist and political scientist known for his work on terrorism and security issues.
The name Breuer has a rich history spanning centuries, with its origins rooted in the brewing industry and connections to various regions and cultures. While the name may have evolved and taken on different meanings over time, it remains a distinctive surname with a unique heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Breuer
Among Census respondents with the surname Breuer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Black (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Breuer 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 Breuer surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- Black or African American1.3%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Breuer 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 | #9,384 | #7,992 | 14.8% |
| Count | 3,184 | 4,138 | 30.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.18 | 1.40 | 18.6% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Breuer bearers went from 3,184 to 4,138 (+30.0% change). The surname moved up 1,392 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,384 to #7,992.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Breuer
FAQ
Breuer surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Breuer?
The surname Breuer holds position #7,992 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 4,799 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.40 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Breuer surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Breuer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Black (1.3%). 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.