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

Bright, 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 Bright surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bright in America

Bright is the 1050th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bright surname appeared 33,281 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Bright.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bright 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 Bright

The surname Bright is an English surname that originated from the Old English word 'beorht', meaning bright or shining. It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone with a bright complexion or personality.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century in England, with some of the earliest recorded instances appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. Entries such as Brictric and Bricstan suggest variations of the name were in use at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Bright appeared in various forms in medieval records, including Briht, Bryght, and Bright. One notable example is Roger Bright, a 13th-century English churchman who served as Bishop of Chichester from 1245 to 1262.

In the 14th century, the surname Bright was associated with places like Brightwell in Oxfordshire and Brightlingsea in Essex, suggesting that some individuals may have adopted the name based on their place of origin or residence.

As the surname evolved, it became more commonly associated with individuals who had a fair or bright complexion or were known for their intelligence or positive disposition. One famous bearer of the name was John Bright (1811-1889), a British Radical and Liberal statesman who played a significant role in the Anti-Corn Law League and advocated for parliamentary reform.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bright include:

1. Richard Bright (1789-1858), an English physician who made significant contributions to the study of kidney diseases and is credited with describing the condition now known as Bright's disease.

2. Henry Bright (1784-1845), an English naturalist and traveler who explored Australia and published works on natural history.

3. Susie Bright (born 1958), an American writer, feminist, and civil rights activist known for her work on sexuality and erotica.

4. David Bright (born 1983), a Canadian professional ice hockey player who has played in the NHL for teams like the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes.

5. Ella Bright (1851-1927), an English social reformer and campaigner for women's rights, who co-founded the North of England Suffrage Society in 1867.

The surname Bright has been widely distributed throughout England and later spread to other parts of the world through immigration. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English language, reflecting the descriptive nature of many early English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bright

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

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

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

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