2000
#15,738
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,703
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.63
Rare Last name
Brookes
One who lived near a brook or stream, or worked as a broker or used brook as a topographic boundary.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,503 Americans carry the last name Brookes. That puts it at #13,352 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 136,937 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brookes 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Brookes with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 136,937
Census rank
#13,352
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,183 bearers of the surname Brookes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13352nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brookes, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brookes
The surname BROOKES originated in England and has its roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. The name is derived from the Old English word "broc," which means a small stream or brook. It likely referred to someone who lived near a brook or stream.
The earliest recorded instances of the BROOKES surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Brok," "Brock," and "Broke."
During the Middle Ages, many people with the surname BROOKES settled in various parts of England, particularly in counties like Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire. The name was often associated with specific locations, such as Broke near Stafford and Brook in Derbyshire.
One notable figure with the BROOKES surname was Sir Robert Brooke (c. 1490-1558), who served as the Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Queen Mary I. Another prominent individual was Henry Brooke, 8th Baron Cobham (1564-1619), who was an English nobleman and politician.
In the 17th century, the BROOKES surname gained prominence with the writer and philosopher Ralph Brooke (1553-1625), who was known for his works on natural philosophy and religion. The name also appeared in literary circles with the poet and playwright Henry Brooke (1703-1783), best known for his novel "The Fool of Quality."
During the 18th century, the BROOKES surname was associated with several notable figures, including James Brooke (1742-1821), an English clergyman and author, and Sir James Brooke (1803-1868), who became the first White Rajah of Sarawak in Borneo.
As the BROOKES surname spread throughout England and beyond, it became associated with various professions and achievements. From scholars and writers to politicians and military leaders, the name has left an indelible mark on history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brookes
Among Census respondents with the surname Brookes, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Brookes 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 Brookes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.1% · 1,553
- Black or African American19.5% · 425
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 95
- Two or more races3.9% · 85
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brookes
Brookes 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
#13,616
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,225
+522 bearers (+30.7%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Up 2,122 places
2020
#13,352
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,183
-42 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.73
Rank movement Up 264 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,738 | 1,703 | 0.63 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,616 | 2,225 | 0.75 | +522 bearers (+30.7%) | Up 2,122 places |
| 2020 | #13,352 | 2,183 | 0.73 | -42 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 264 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 Brookes 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 | #13,616 | #13,352 | 1.9% |
| Count | 2,225 | 2,183 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.75 | 0.73 | -2.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brookes bearers went from 2,225 to 2,183 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 264 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,616 to #13,352.
FAQ
Brookes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brookes?
Name Census estimates that about 2,503 living Americans carry the surname Brookes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 136,937 residents.
How common is Brookes?
Brookes ranks #13,352 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.73 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 2,183 people with the surname Brookes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,503), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.73 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.73 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 Brookes.
Has Brookes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brookes went from 2,225 recorded bearers to 2,183. That is a decrease of 42 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,616 to #13,352.
What does the Census say about the background of Brookes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brookes, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Brookes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.1% (1,553 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brookes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.1%), Black (19.5%), Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Brookes (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 Brookes mean?
One who lived near a brook or stream, or worked as a broker or used brook as a topographic boundary. 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 Brookes (0.73 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 common is the surname Brookes?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Brookes is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.