Bricher last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bricher

A locational surname likely derived from a place name meaning "from the little bridge."

Bricher, 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 Bricher surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Bricher in America

Bricher is the 118236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bricher surname appeared 136 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bricher.

The history of the last name Bricher

The surname Bricher has its origins in Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name dates back to the Middle Ages and is thought to derive from the old Germanic word "Bric" or "Brih," which means "bridge." This indicates that the name may have originally been an occupational surname for someone who built or worked on bridges, or it could denote a person who lived near a bridge.

One of the earliest mentions of a similar surname appears in medieval manuscripts from the 12th century. For example, a record from 1180 mentions a Heinrich Briccher in the town of Regensburg, which was an important trading center in Bavaria at the time. Another early instance is found in a 13th-century document wherein a Wilhelm Brychere is noted as residing in the Black Forest region, known for its dense woods and significant medieval settlements.

Over the centuries, different spellings of the surname have been recorded, including Bricker, Brycher, and Britcher, depending on the regional dialects and phonetic interpretations by scribes. Place names like Bruck and Bruggen in Germany, which also mean "bridge," further suggest the origin of the surname. These towns were often located near important crossing points over rivers, reinforcing the link to the surname’s roots.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Bricher. One such person is Albert Bricher, an American painter born in 1837 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was known for his landscape paintings, especially those depicting the New England coast. Albert Bricher died in 1908 and left a significant legacy in American art.

In the 17th century, records from the Thirty Years' War in Germany mention a soldier named Hans Bricher, who fought for the Protestant forces. Hans was born in 1602 in Augsburg and notable for his role in the Battle of Breitenfeld in 1631. Historical accounts praise him for his bravery and strategic acumen.

In a different context, a 15th-century manuscript from the German city of Cologne refers to one Martin Brychere, a merchant who traded extensively in textiles. Martin was born in 1425 and is credited with helping to establish one of the earliest merchant guilds in the city, promoting economic growth in the region.

A 17th-century theologian named Johann Bricher, born in 1634 in Nuremberg, also stands out. Johann was a prominent figure in the Lutheran Reformation and contributed several theological texts that influenced Protestant thought in his era. His death in 1691 marked the end of a significant religious career.

Another noteworthy individual is Klaus Bricher, a 19th-century German engineer who contributed to the development of bridge construction techniques. Born in 1821 in Stuttgart, Klaus was instrumental in designing several important bridges along the Rhine River, facilitating transportation and commerce. He passed away in 1883, leaving behind a legacy in civil engineering.

The surname Bricher, with its deep historical roots and associations with bridge-building and trade, has evolved over the centuries, leaving an indelible mark in various fields such as art, military, commerce, religion, and engineering. The name continues to be a testament to the professions and locales that shaped its bearers' lives.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bricher

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bricher was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.32% 131
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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.

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

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

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"Bricher last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 31, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bricher-surname-popularity/.

"Bricher last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bricher-surname-popularity/. Accessed 31 May, 2025

Bricher last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bricher-surname-popularity/.

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