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

Britto, 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 Britto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Britto in America

Britto is the 20336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Britto surname appeared 1,307 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Britto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Britto 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 Britto

The surname Britto is believed to have originated in Portugal, with roots tracing back to the 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the old Portuguese word "brito," which translates to "Briton" or "Breton," referring to the Celtic inhabitants of northwestern France and parts of the British Isles.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the "Livro das Linhagens" (Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese genealogical record dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions several individuals bearing the surname Britto, suggesting that the name was already well-established in Portugal by that time.

During the Age of Exploration, as Portuguese navigators and explorers embarked on voyages across the globe, the name Britto spread to various parts of the world that came under Portuguese influence or colonization. This includes regions such as Brazil, India, and parts of Asia and Africa.

One notable figure with the surname Britto was João de Britto, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who lived from 1647 to 1693. He worked extensively in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the regions of Tamil Nadu and Goa, and is revered as a martyr and saint in the Catholic Church.

Another prominent individual was Filipe Nery Xavier Britto, a Brazilian lawyer and politician who played a significant role in the independence movement of Brazil in the early 19th century. He was born in 1801 and served as a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted Brazil's first constitution.

In the field of literature, José Geraldo Vidigal Britto (1927-2022) was a renowned Brazilian writer and poet, known for his contributions to the modernist movement in Brazilian literature. His works explored themes of identity, social issues, and the human experience.

Moving to the realm of sports, João Britto (1948-2022) was a Brazilian professional soccer player who played as a defender for several notable clubs, including Fluminense and Vasco da Gama, during the 1960s and 1970s.

Lastly, Miguel Britto (born 1944) is a Venezuelan writer, essayist, and literary critic who has garnered international recognition for his works exploring Latin American literature and culture. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the National Prize for Literature in Venezuela.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals bearing the surname Britto throughout history, spanning various fields and regions. The name's origins and global spread reflect the far-reaching influence of Portuguese exploration and colonization, as well as the diverse cultural and historical legacies associated with this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Britto

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

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

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

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