2000
#14,143
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,951
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.72
Rare Last name
Brobst
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "brobest," meaning "provost" or "chief magistrate."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,143 Americans carry the last name Brobst. That puts it at #15,142 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 159,941 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brobst 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
2.1K
1 in 159,941
Census rank
#15,142
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,869 bearers of the surname Brobst in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15142nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brobst, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brobst
The surname BROBST is of German origin, and it can be traced back to the 16th century in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Brot," which means "bread," and the suffix "-bst" or "-pst," which was commonly used in occupational surnames. This suggests that the name may have originated from an individual who was a baker or a bread maker.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BROBST surname can be found in the church records of Nuremberg, Germany, where a certain Hans Brobst was mentioned in the year 1542. Another early reference to the name is found in the records of the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a Johannes Brobst was listed in the tax registers of 1589.
In the 17th century, the BROBST surname began to appear in various parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring regions such as Switzerland and Austria. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Johann Brobst (1603-1673), a German Lutheran theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Jena.
As the BROBST family spread across Europe, the name also underwent various spelling variations, including Brobst, Probst, Propst, and Probest. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects and linguistic differences.
In the 18th century, the BROBST surname became more widespread, and several individuals with this name gained recognition in various fields. For example, Johann Friedrich Brobst (1738-1805) was a German composer and organist who served as the music director at the Neukirche in Nuremberg.
Another notable bearer of the BROBST name was Johann Georg Brobst (1777-1855), a German painter and engraver who was known for his landscapes and portraits. His works can still be found in various museums and private collections across Europe.
In the 19th century, the BROBST surname continued to be found throughout Germany and other parts of Europe. One prominent individual with this name was Wilhelm Brobst (1841-1914), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, including the former Reichsbank building and the Königliches Opernhaus (Royal Opera House).
As families with the BROBST surname migrated to other parts of the world, the name also took root in various countries. For example, in the United States, the BROBST family can be traced back to the 18th century, when German immigrants began arriving in Pennsylvania and other regions.
Throughout its history, the BROBST surname has been borne by many individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including arts, literature, science, and academia. While the name may have originated from a humble occupation, it has since become a part of the rich tapestry of human history and cultural diversity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brobst
Among Census respondents with the surname Brobst, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Brobst 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 Brobst surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.7% · 1,733
- Two or more races3.3% · 62
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 43
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 10
- Black or African American0.3% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brobst
Brobst 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
#15,074
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,957
+6 bearers (+0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Down 931 places
2020
#15,142
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,869
-88 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Down 68 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,143 | 1,951 | 0.72 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,074 | 1,957 | 0.66 | +6 bearers (+0.3%) | Down 931 places |
| 2020 | #15,142 | 1,869 | 0.63 | -88 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 68 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 Brobst 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 | #15,074 | #15,142 | -0.5% |
| Count | 1,957 | 1,869 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.66 | 0.63 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brobst bearers went from 1,957 to 1,869 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 68 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,074 to #15,142.
FAQ
Brobst surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brobst?
Name Census estimates that about 2,143 living Americans carry the surname Brobst. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 159,941 residents.
How common is Brobst?
Brobst ranks #15,142 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,869 people with the surname Brobst. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,143), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Brobst.
Has Brobst become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brobst went from 1,957 recorded bearers to 1,869. That is a decrease of 88 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #15,074 to #15,142.
What does the Census say about the background of Brobst?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brobst, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Brobst in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (1,733 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brobst appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.7%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Brobst (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 Brobst mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "brobest," meaning "provost" or "chief magistrate." 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 Brobst (0.63 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 share the surname Brobst?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.