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

Brito, 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 Brito surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brito in America

Brito is the 1711th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brito surname appeared 21,007 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Brito.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brito 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 Brito

The surname Brito has its origins in Portugal, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin word "brittus," meaning "Briton," and is believed to have been initially used as a nickname for someone who had come from Britain or had British ancestry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brito can be found in a 12th-century document from the Portuguese town of Coimbra, where a nobleman named Fernão Brito is mentioned. This document suggests that the name was already in use among the Portuguese nobility at that time.

Another notable early reference to the name Brito comes from the 14th century, when a Portuguese navigator and explorer named João Brito participated in several expeditions along the West African coast. His voyages helped expand Portuguese knowledge of the region and paved the way for future colonial endeavors.

In the 15th century, the surname Brito gained prominence through the exploits of Nuno Brito, a Portuguese military commander who played a significant role in the conquest of Ceuta from the Moors in 1415. His bravery and leadership during this campaign earned him recognition and cemented the name's association with military valor.

During the 16th century, the Brito family produced several notable figures, including Pedro de Brito e Nicote (1485-1556), a Portuguese explorer and diplomat who served as ambassador to the Kingdom of Kongo, and Bernardo Brito (1569-1617), a Jesuit priest and historian who wrote extensively on Portuguese history and culture.

Other prominent individuals bearing the surname Brito include Manuel de Brito Alão (1630-1706), a Portuguese jurist and diplomat who served as ambassador to France, and José Joaquim Rodrigues de Brito (1753-1813), a Brazilian writer and journalist who played a significant role in the country's literary and political circles during the colonial era.

Throughout its history, the surname Brito has been associated with various place names and geographical locations, such as Brito in Portugal, Brito in Spain, and several towns and villages in Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking countries. This reflects the widespread distribution of the name across the former Portuguese empire.

While the surname Brito has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. Today, it can be found in many countries with historical ties to Portugal, as well as in regions with significant Portuguese immigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brito

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

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

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

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