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

Brodie, 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 Brodie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brodie in America

Brodie is the 5288th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brodie surname appeared 6,585 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 Brodie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brodie 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 Brodie

The surname Brodie originated in Scotland, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "broth" meaning "ditch" or "mire" and "aite" meaning "place," suggesting a connection to a particular location or geographic feature. The name is thought to have originated in the village of Brodie, located near Forres in Morayshire, Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Brodie can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Brod" in these rolls, suggesting an earlier spelling variation.

In the 14th century, the Brodies emerged as a prominent family in the Scottish Highlands, with their ancestral lands centered around the village of Brodie. Notable individuals from this time period include Alexander Brodie, who was granted a charter for the lands of Brodie in 1311, and Thomas Brodie, who served as Constable of Nairn Castle in the late 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Brodie family played an important role in the religious and political affairs of Scotland. Alexander Brodie (1617-1680) was a prominent Presbyterian minister and author, known for his support of the National Covenant and his opposition to the policies of King Charles I. His son, James Brodie (1637-1708), was a respected lawyer and author who served as Lord Lyon King of Arms for Scotland.

Other notable individuals with the surname Brodie include Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie (1783-1862), an English physiologist and surgeon who made significant contributions to the field of orthopedics, and John Brodie (1913-1999), a Canadian actor and playwright known for his work in both English and French theater.

The name Brodie has also been associated with several place names throughout Scotland, such as the villages of Brodie and Brodiesord, as well as the Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brodie

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

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

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

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