2000
#2,895
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,380
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.22
Uncommon Last name
Brinson
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Brun's son," referring to a settlement associated with someone named Brun.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,557 Americans carry the last name Brinson. That puts it at #2,974 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 25,282 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brinson surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Brinson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 25,282
Census rank
#2,974
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,822 bearers of the surname Brinson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2974th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brinson, the largest self-reported group is White at 46.9%. The next largest groups are Black (44.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brinson
The surname Brinson originated in England and has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "brun," meaning brown or dark, and "tun," which refers to a town or enclosure. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive term for someone who lived in or near a town with a distinct brown or dark coloration.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bruneston." This entry refers to a settlement in the county of Suffolk, further reinforcing the name's connection to a specific location.
During the medieval period, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Brunston, Brunson, and Brynston, reflecting the fluidity of English orthography at the time. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal conventions.
Notable individuals bearing the Brinson surname throughout history include William Brinson, a merchant from London who was active in the early 17th century. His name appears in trade records from that era, indicating his involvement in the city's commercial activities.
Another figure of note is John Brinson, born in 1692 in Hampshire, England. He was a renowned clockmaker whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the gentry and aristocracy of the time.
In the 18th century, the name gained recognition through the works of author and poet Elizabeth Brinson, whose poems and essays captured the sentiments of her era. She was born in 1732 in Gloucestershire and published several volumes of poetry during her lifetime.
Moving into the 19th century, we find Thomas Brinson, a prominent industrialist from Yorkshire, who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the region. He was born in 1802 and his innovative manufacturing methods contributed to the growth of the local economy.
Finally, in the 20th century, the name Brinson was brought to international attention by the American jazz musician and composer James Brinson. Born in 1920 in New Orleans, he was a pioneering figure in the development of modern jazz, known for his unique style and improvisational skills.
While the surname Brinson may have evolved over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the early days of English history, reflecting the rich tapestry of language, geography, and cultural influences that have shaped the development of surnames in the British Isles.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brinson
Among Census respondents with the surname Brinson, the largest self-reported group is White at 46.9%. The next largest groups are Black (44.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Brinson bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Brinson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White46.9% · 5,540
- Black or African American44.7% · 5,289
- Two or more races4.7% · 556
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 336
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 48
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brinson
Brinson appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,912
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,303
+923 bearers (+8.1%)
Per 100,000 4.17
Rank movement Down 17 places
2020
#2,974
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,822
-481 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 3.96
Rank movement Down 62 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,895 | 11,380 | 4.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,912 | 12,303 | 4.17 | +923 bearers (+8.1%) | Down 17 places |
| 2020 | #2,974 | 11,822 | 3.96 | -481 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 62 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Brinson surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,912 | #2,974 | -2.1% |
| Count | 12,303 | 11,822 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 4.17 | 3.96 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brinson bearers went from 12,303 to 11,822 (-3.9% change). The surname moved down 62 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,912 to #2,974.
FAQ
Brinson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brinson?
Name Census estimates that about 13,557 living Americans carry the surname Brinson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 25,282 residents.
How common is Brinson?
Brinson ranks #2,974 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.96 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 11,822 people with the surname Brinson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,557), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.96 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.96 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Brinson.
Has Brinson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brinson went from 12,303 recorded bearers to 11,822. That is a decrease of 481 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,912 to #2,974.
What does the Census say about the background of Brinson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brinson, the largest self-reported group is White at 46.9%. The next largest groups are Black (44.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Brinson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.9% (5,540 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brinson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (46.9%), Black (44.7%), Two or More Races (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Brinson (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Brinson mean?
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Brun's son," referring to a settlement associated with someone named Brun. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Brinson (3.96 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Brinson?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Brinson on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.