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

Brookshire, 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 Brookshire surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brookshire in America

Brookshire is the 6245th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brookshire surname appeared 5,472 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 Brookshire.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brookshire 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 Brookshire

The surname Brookshire has its origins in England, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words 'broc,' meaning a small stream or brook, and 'scir,' meaning a shire or county. The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a small stream or brook within a particular county or shire.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known references is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273, which mention a person named Willelmus de Brokesheyr. This spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of the name over time.

During the medieval period, the name was often associated with specific locations, such as Brookshire in Derbyshire or Brookshire in Somerset. These place names likely influenced the development of the surname, as people were often identified by their place of origin or residence.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1574, which mentioned a John Brookshire. This document recorded the transfer of land ownership, indicating that the Brookshire family held land and property during this time.

Notable individuals with the surname Brookshire include:

1. William Brookshire (1615-1688), an English merchant and landowner in Virginia, USA.
2. Thomas Brookshire (1753-1821), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War.
3. Mary Brookshire (1812-1895), an American pioneer and one of the first settlers in Oregon Territory.
4. John Brookshire (1845-1919), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton.
5. James Brookshire (1879-1944), an American businessman and founder of the Brookshire Grocery Company in Texas.

The name Brookshire has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Broxshire, Brooksher, and Brookshyre. These variations reflect the influence of regional dialects and the evolution of language over time.

While the name Brookshire is not as common as some other surnames, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the English landscape and the Anglo-Saxon language. Its enduring presence serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brookshire

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

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

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

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