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

Briseño, 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 Briseño surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Briseño in America

Briseño is the 3313th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Briseño surname appeared 10,821 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Briseño.

We can also compare 2010 data for Briseño 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 Briseño

The surname Briseno is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the northern regions of Spain during the medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Spanish word "briza," which means "breeze" or "gentle wind." This connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a windy or breezy area.

In its earliest forms, the name appeared as "Briçeno" or "Briçenno" in various historical documents and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. Some scholars propose that the name might also be linked to the Basque word "brizna," meaning "straw" or "chaff," potentially indicating an association with agricultural activities or a particular location known for its farming.

One of the earliest known references to the Briseno name can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a medieval Spanish manuscript compiled in the 14th century. This document mentions individuals with the surname Briseno as landholders in the regions of Burgos and Palencia.

Notable individuals bearing the Briseno surname throughout history include Pedro Briseno (1564-1633), a Spanish poet and playwright from Valladolid, renowned for his works in the Golden Age of Spanish literature. Another prominent figure was Juan Briseno (1609-1678), a Spanish military engineer who served in the Spanish army and contributed to fortification projects in various parts of Europe.

In the New World, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Briseno name dates back to the 16th century, with the arrival of Spanish conquistadors and settlers in the Americas. Francisco Briseno (1540-1612) was a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico and later served as the governor of the province of Nueva Vizcaya (present-day northern Mexico).

During the colonial era, the Briseno surname spread throughout Latin America, particularly in regions like Mexico, where it became associated with several prominent families and individuals. For example, Manuel Briseno (1791-1868) was a Mexican politician and military leader who played a significant role in the Mexican-American War.

Another noteworthy figure was José Briseno (1822-1892), a Mexican lawyer and politician who served as the governor of the state of Coahuila from 1869 to 1871. He was also a prominent advocate for the rights of indigenous communities and worked to promote education and social reforms.

As the Briseno surname spread across different regions, various spellings and variations emerged, such as Briseño, Brizeno, and Brizueño, reflecting local linguistic and cultural influences. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its Spanish heritage, carrying the connection to the concepts of wind, breeze, and potentially agricultural elements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Briseño

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

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

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

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