Brosnan
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Brosnachain, derived from a diminutive of the Irish word brosna, meaning "bundle of firewood."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,913 Americans carry the last name Brosnan. That puts it at #12,426 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 117,664 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brosnan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
2.9K
1 in 117,664
Census rank
#12,426
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,501 bearers of the surname Brosnan in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12426th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brosnan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brosnan
The surname Brosnan originates from Ireland, specifically in the counties of Kerry and Cork. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic "O'Brosnachain" which means "descendant of Brosnacha." The name Brosnacha itself is a derivative of the word "brosna," meaning "a fierce or ill-tempered person."
The earliest recorded mention of the Brosnan surname can be found in the Irish Annals, which date back to the 12th century. In these annals, the name is spelled various ways, including O'Brosnachain, O'Brosnan, and Brosnan.
One notable historical reference of the Brosnan name is in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, a Brosnan is mentioned as a participant in the Battle of Callan in 1261.
The first recorded instance of the Anglicized spelling "Brosnan" appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century. This suggests that the Brosnan family was among the early adopters of the English language and spelling conventions.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Brosnan. One of the earliest was Donal Brosnan, a 17th-century Irish poet and musician from County Kerry. Another was John Brosnan, a prominent 18th-century Irish lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliament.
In the 19th century, Michael Brosnan was a renowned Irish journalist and editor who founded the Cork Examiner newspaper in 1841. William Brosnan, born in 1832, was an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
More recently, the most famous Brosnan is undoubtedly Pierce Brosnan, the Irish actor best known for his portrayal of James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002. Born in 1953, Brosnan has had a successful career in both film and television.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brosnan
Among Census respondents with the surname Brosnan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Brosnan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Brosnan surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.2%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Brosnan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,426 | #12,426 | 0.0% |
| Count | 2,501 | 2,501 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.85 | 0.85 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Brosnan bearers went from 2,501 to 2,501 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #12,426 to #12,426.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Brosnan
FAQ
Brosnan surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Brosnan?
The surname Brosnan holds position #12,426 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,913 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.85 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Brosnan surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brosnan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.