Brody
A surname of Irish origin meaning "ditch" or "muddy place," likely referring to a person who lived near one.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,918 Americans carry the last name Brody. That puts it at #5,142 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 43,288 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brody surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
7.9K
1 in 43,288
Census rank
#5,142
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,805 bearers of the surname Brody in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5142nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brody, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Black (4.1%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brody
The surname Brody originated in Eastern Europe, specifically in regions that are now part of Poland and Ukraine. It is derived from the Slavic word "brod," which means "ford" or a shallow place in a river where people can cross. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a ford or was responsible for maintaining or operating a ford.
Brody was first recorded as a surname in the 14th century in Polish and Ukrainian records. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name include Bronislaw Brody, a landowner in the village of Brody, Poland, in the late 1300s, and Yaroslav Brody, a merchant in the city of Lviv (formerly part of Poland, now in Ukraine) in the early 1400s.
The name Brody is also associated with several place names in Eastern Europe, such as the town of Brody in western Ukraine, which was an important trading center in the 16th and 17th centuries. The town's name is derived from its location near a ford on the Styr River.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brody in England is John Brody, a merchant from Gdansk (then part of Poland) who settled in London in the late 16th century. Another notable historical figure with the surname Brody was Isaac Brody (1819-1886), a Russian-born Jewish scholar and writer who contributed to the development of modern Hebrew literature.
Other notable individuals with the surname Brody include:
1. Adrien Brody (born 1973), American actor known for roles in films like "The Pianist" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
2. David Brody (1958-2022), American journalist and author who covered politics and religion.
3. Fanny Brody (1892-1949), Russian-born American actress and singer in Yiddish theater and films.
4. Jill Brody (born 1942), American author and journalist known for her books on health and wellness.
5. Max Brody (1886-1944), Polish-born American painter and sculptor known for his Cubist works.
The surname Brody has been a part of Eastern European history for centuries and has since spread to various parts of the world, carrying with it the legacy of its origins near river fords and trading centers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brody
Among Census respondents with the surname Brody, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Black (4.1%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Brody bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Brody surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6%
- Black or African American4.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Brody surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,142 | #5,142 | 0.0% |
| Count | 6,805 | 6,805 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.31 | 2.31 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Brody bearers went from 6,805 to 6,805 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #5,142 to #5,142.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Brody
FAQ
Brody surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Brody?
The surname Brody holds position #5,142 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 7,918 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.31 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Brody surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brody, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Black (4.1%) and Hispanic (2.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.