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

Brister, 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 Brister surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brister in America

Brister is the 5669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brister surname appeared 6,123 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 Brister.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brister 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 Brister

The surname Brister has its origins in the Old Norse language and can be traced back to the Viking settlements in Britain during the 8th to 11th centuries. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "brysti," which means "breast" or "chest," implying a physical characteristic or a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent chest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brister can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Brystere and Briseter, indicating the evolution of the surname over time.

In the 13th century, the name Brister was documented in various records from the counties of Somerset and Dorset in England. One notable figure from this period was John Brister, a landowner and merchant who lived in the town of Bridgwater, Somerset, during the late 1200s.

As the centuries passed, the Brister surname spread across different regions of England, with various families establishing themselves in different counties. One prominent individual was Sir William Brister, a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry class in Gloucestershire during the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Brister gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of Robert Brister, an English poet and playwright who was born in London in 1635. His works, although not widely celebrated today, contributed to the cultural landscape of the time.

The 18th century saw the rise of another notable figure with the Brister surname – James Brister, a prominent merchant and shipowner from the city of Bristol. His successful trading ventures and involvement in the thriving maritime industry of the era brought wealth and recognition to his family.

As the Brister surname spread across the British Isles and beyond, it continued to be associated with various professions and occupations. In the 19th century, one of the most well-known individuals bearing the name was Sir Charles Brister, a distinguished military officer who served in the British Army during the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

The Brister surname has a rich history rooted in the Old Norse language and has been associated with various notable figures throughout the centuries. While its origins can be traced back to the Viking settlements in Britain, the name has endured and evolved, becoming a part of the cultural tapestry of many countries and regions around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brister

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

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

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

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