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

Brigham, 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 Brigham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brigham in America

Brigham is the 5369th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brigham surname appeared 6,485 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 Brigham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brigham 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 Brigham

The surname BRIGHAM originates from England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the place name Brigham, a parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The name Brigham itself is thought to be derived from the Old Norse words "bryggja" meaning bridge and "heimr" meaning homestead or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name BRIGHAM can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a great survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by the 11th century.

In the 13th century, a notable figure with the surname BRIGHAM was Robert de Brigham, who was a landowner and nobleman from Yorkshire. He was recorded as holding lands in Brigham and other nearby villages around the year 1240.

During the 16th century, the BRIGHAM family had established themselves as prominent landowners and gentry in various parts of Yorkshire. One notable member from this era was Thomas BRIGHAM, born in 1535, who was a member of the Yorkshire gentry and served as a justice of the peace.

Another significant figure was Thomas BRIGHAM, born in 1609, who was a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the town of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the early days of the American colonies. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the New England settlements and was a influential figure in the religious and political life of the region.

In the 18th century, the BRIGHAM surname gained further prominence with the birth of Amariah BRIGHAM (1798-1849), an American botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the northeastern United States.

Throughout history, the BRIGHAM surname has maintained a strong presence, with various individuals making their mark in different fields, including politics, religion, academia, and the arts. The name continues to be prevalent in both the United Kingdom and the United States, reflecting its enduring legacy and rich historical roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brigham

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

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

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

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