Brownback
A surname derived from the Old English words "brun" and "bæc," referring to someone who lived by a brown stream or brook.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 343 Americans carry the last name Brownback. That puts it at #64,891 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 999,284 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brownback 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
343
1 in 999,284
Census rank
#64,891
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
306
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 306 bearers of the surname Brownback in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 64891st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brownback, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brownback
The surname BROWNBACK has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 16th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "brun" meaning brown and "bæc" meaning back or ridge, suggesting that the original bearers of the name lived near a brown-colored hill or ridge.
The earliest known record of the BROWNBACK surname dates back to 1592, when a William Brownback was mentioned in the parish records of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Another early reference can be found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674, which list a John Brownback residing in the village of Woolton, Lancashire.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the BROWNBACK surname was George Brownback (1663-1727), a farmer and landowner from Cheshire, who is mentioned in several property deeds and local records from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
In the 19th century, the BROWNBACK name gained prominence with the birth of John Brownback (1825-1901), a British textile merchant who established a successful wool trading business in Leeds. His son, William Brownback (1856-1932), continued the family business and became a prominent figure in the local community, serving as a councilor and magistrate.
Another notable BROWNBACK was Robert Brownback (1882-1967), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Trocadero Theatre and the former headquarters of the BBC in Portland Place.
In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the BROWNBACK surname was Johann Michael Brownback (1718-1789), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various professions, including politics, law, and business.
One of the most prominent American BROWNBACKS was Samuel Brownback (born 1956), a longtime Republican politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and later as the Governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brownback
Among Census respondents with the surname Brownback, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%.
The bar chart below shows how Brownback 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 Brownback surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Brownback 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 | #64,891 | #64,891 | 0.0% |
| Count | 306 | 306 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Brownback bearers went from 306 to 306 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #64,891 to #64,891.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Brownback
FAQ
Brownback surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Brownback?
The surname Brownback holds position #64,891 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 343 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Brownback surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brownback, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. 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.