2000
#12,686
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,236
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Bronner
A surname of German origin, referring to someone who lived near or worked with a well or spring.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,311 Americans carry the last name Bronner. That puts it at #14,290 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 148,314 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bronner 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
2.3K
1 in 148,314
Census rank
#14,290
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,015 bearers of the surname Bronner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14290th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bronner, the largest self-reported group is White at 59.6%. The next largest groups are Black (31.5%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bronner
The surname Bronner is of German origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It is thought to derive from the German word "Brunnen," meaning "well" or "spring," indicating that the original bearers of this name may have lived near or worked with water sources.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Bronner name can be found in the town records of Esslingen, located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. These records, dating back to the 1500s, reference a family by the name of Bronner residing in the area. Similar spellings, such as "Bronnner" and "Brünner," were also noted in these early documents, suggesting potential variations in the name's spelling over time.
In the 17th century, the Bronner name appeared in various church registers and municipal records across southern Germany. This indicates that the name had become more widespread in the region during this period. Notable individuals from this era include Johannes Bronner (1602-1679), a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Wertheim, and Anna Bronner (1622-1693), a respected midwife in the city of Augsburg.
As the centuries progressed, the Bronner name continued to be present in various German records and historical accounts. In the 18th century, a family of Bronners established themselves as respected brewers in the town of Bamberg, with their brewery, the "Bronner Brauhaus," becoming a local institution. Another notable individual from this time was Friedrich Bronner (1745-1812), a renowned clockmaker whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the nobility.
The 19th century saw the Bronner name spread beyond Germany's borders as individuals bearing this surname emigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One such individual was Karl Bronner (1822-1891), a German-born engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. Another notable figure was Marie Bronner (1865-1943), a French artist renowned for her intricate landscape paintings and portraiture.
Throughout the 20th century, the Bronner name continued to be associated with various fields, from academia to the arts. Notable individuals include the German philosopher and educator Ernst Bronner (1901-1989), whose works on ethics and social theory gained widespread recognition, and the American actor and director Paul Bronner (1913-1998), known for his contributions to the Hollywood film industry.
Overall, the surname Bronner has a rich history rooted in the southern regions of Germany, with its origins dating back to the 16th century. While the name has since spread across various regions and continents, its enduring presence in historical records and the achievements of its bearers serve as a testament to its significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bronner
Among Census respondents with the surname Bronner, the largest self-reported group is White at 59.6%. The next largest groups are Black (31.5%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Bronner 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 Bronner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White59.6% · 1,200
- Black or African American31.5% · 634
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 81
- Two or more races4.0% · 81
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bronner
Bronner 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
#12,861
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,394
+158 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.81
Rank movement Down 175 places
2020
#14,290
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,015
-379 bearers (-15.8%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Down 1,429 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,686 | 2,236 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,861 | 2,394 | 0.81 | +158 bearers (+7.1%) | Down 175 places |
| 2020 | #14,290 | 2,015 | 0.67 | -379 bearers (-15.8%) | Down 1,429 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 Bronner 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 | #12,861 | #14,290 | -11.1% |
| Count | 2,394 | 2,015 | -15.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.81 | 0.67 | -16.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bronner bearers went from 2,394 to 2,015 (-15.8% change). The surname moved down 1,429 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,861 to #14,290.
FAQ
Bronner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bronner?
Name Census estimates that about 2,311 living Americans carry the surname Bronner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 148,314 residents.
How common is Bronner?
Bronner ranks #14,290 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.67 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 2,015 people with the surname Bronner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,311), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.67 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 Bronner.
Has Bronner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bronner went from 2,394 recorded bearers to 2,015. That is a decrease of 379 (-15.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,861 to #14,290.
What does the Census say about the background of Bronner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bronner, the largest self-reported group is White at 59.6%. The next largest groups are Black (31.5%) and Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Bronner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 59.6% (1,200 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bronner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (59.6%), Black (31.5%), Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Bronner (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 Bronner mean?
A surname of German origin, referring to someone who lived near or worked with a well or spring. 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 Bronner (0.67 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 Bronner?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.