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

Brokaw, 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 Brokaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brokaw in America

Brokaw is the 9237th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brokaw surname appeared 3,523 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Brokaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brokaw 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 Brokaw

The surname BROKAW is of German origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to have originated from the German word "brocken," which means "broken" or "crumbled." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a broken or crumbled area, or perhaps worked in a profession related to breaking or crumbling materials.

One of the earliest known records of the BROKAW surname can be found in the archives of the town of Brokaw, located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The town itself is named after a family that resided there in the late 16th century, indicating that the surname was already well-established by that time.

In the 17th century, the BROKAW name began to spread beyond Germany as families migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One notable figure from this period was Johannes BROKAW, a German immigrant who settled in the Dutch colony of New Netherland (present-day New York) in the mid-1600s.

As the BROKAW name continued to disperse, it also underwent various spelling variations, including BROKAU, BROCAW, and BROKHAW. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual families or record keepers.

Throughout history, several individuals with the BROKAW surname have achieved notable recognition. One such figure was William BROKAW (1768-1848), an American merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of New York City's real estate market in the early 19th century.

Another prominent BROKAW was Isaac Valleau BROKAW (1829-1910), a successful businessman and philanthropist from New York. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Brokaw Memorial Hospital, which provided medical care to the underprivileged in the city.

In more recent times, the BROKAW name gained widespread recognition through Tom BROKAW (born 1940), the acclaimed American journalist and author. As the longtime anchor of the NBC Nightly News, he became one of the most recognizable faces in American television news.

Other notable individuals with the BROKAW surname include Charles Edward BROKAW (1903-1978), an American businessman and philanthropist, and Courtney BROKAW (born 1971), a fashion model and socialite.

Throughout its history, the BROKAW surname has maintained a strong presence, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of the families who have carried it across generations and continents. While its origins may be traced back to a simple description of a broken or crumbled area, the name has come to represent a rich tapestry of stories and achievements woven into the fabric of various cultures and communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brokaw

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

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

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

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