2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Brkich
A Croatian surname derived from a geographic location or landmark.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Brkich. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brkich 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.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Brkich in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brkich, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.9%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brkich
The surname BRKICH is of Croatian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the region of Dalmatia, situated along the Adriatic coast. This name is believed to be derived from the Slavic word "brijeg," which means "hill" or "slope," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have resided in hilly or mountainous areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BRKICH name can be found in the archives of the Republic of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik), where a merchant named Nikola BRKICH is mentioned in a trade document dated 1475. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the region by the 15th century.
During the 16th century, the BRKICH surname appeared in various historical records from the Dalmatian hinterland, particularly in the villages around the town of Imotski. In a census conducted in 1568, several families bearing the BRKICH name were listed as residents of the village of Cista Velika.
In the 17th century, a notable figure with the BRKICH surname was Matija BRKICH (1620-1688), a Catholic priest and theologian who served as the Bishop of Makarska. His writings and sermons from that period provide valuable insights into the religious and cultural life of Dalmatia during the Counter-Reformation.
The 18th century saw the emergence of a branch of the BRKICH family in the town of Split, where a prominent merchant named Ante BRKICH (1735-1803) established a successful trading business. His descendants continued to play an influential role in the economic and social affairs of the city throughout the 19th century.
Another noteworthy individual with the BRKICH surname was Jure BRKICH (1819-1887), a Croatian writer and poet who contributed significantly to the cultural renaissance of the region during the latter half of the 19th century. His works, written in the Chakavian dialect, captured the essence of Dalmatian life and traditions.
As the BRKICH name spread beyond the borders of Croatia, it gained recognition in other parts of Europe and the world. In the early 20th century, a Serbian-born engineer named Branko BRKICH (1892-1967) made significant contributions to the field of hydroelectric power generation, working on several major dam projects in Yugoslavia and abroad.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the BRKICH surname throughout history, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and diverse contributions of this Croatian name across various fields and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brkich
Among Census respondents with the surname Brkich, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.9%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Brkich 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 Brkich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.8% · 103
- Black or African American6.9% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brkich
Brkich 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+13 bearers (+12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,946 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,879 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.6%) | Up 3,946 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,879 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 Brkich 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 | #143,149 | #145,028 | -1.3% |
| Count | 116 | 116 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brkich bearers went from 116 to 116 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,879 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #145,028.
FAQ
Brkich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brkich?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Brkich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Brkich?
Brkich ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Brkich. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Brkich.
Has Brkich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brkich went from 116 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Brkich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brkich, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.9%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Brkich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brkich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.8%), Black (6.9%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Brkich (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 Brkich mean?
A Croatian surname derived from a geographic location or landmark. 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 Brkich (0.04 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 are called Brkich?
See how many people have the surname Brkich on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.