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

Brooke, 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 Brooke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brooke in America

Brooke is the 6717th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brooke surname appeared 5,027 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 Brooke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brooke 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 Brooke

The surname BROOKE originated in England and dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It derives from the Old English word 'broc', meaning a small stream or brook. The name was likely first adopted by someone who lived near a brook or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named 'Broc' in Hertfordshire. Over time, the spelling evolved, with variants like 'Broke', 'Brooke', and 'Brook' emerging.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was particularly prevalent in Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire. Notable historical figures with the name include Sir Robert Brooke (c. 1490-1558), an English military commander who served under Henry VIII, and Henry Brooke, 8th Baron Cobham (1564-1619), a renowned Elizabethan courtier and writer.

In the 17th century, the BROOKE family became prominent landowners in Virginia, USA. Major Robert Brooke (c. 1602-1663) was among the earliest settlers in the colony and served as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. His descendants went on to establish the influential Brooke family of Virginia.

Another notable figure was Sir James Brooke (1803-1868), a British explorer and adventurer who became the first White Rajah of Sarawak (now part of Malaysia) in 1841. He played a significant role in suppressing piracy and establishing British influence in the region.

In the literary world, Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) was a celebrated English poet and writer, known for his idealistic war sonnets during World War I. His untimely death from sepsis on a French hospital ship during the Gallipoli Campaign further cemented his status as a national icon.

The BROOKE surname has also been associated with places like Brooke House in Westminster, London, which was built in the 17th century and served as a residence for several prominent individuals, including Lord Brooke and his descendants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brooke

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

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

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

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