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

Brownsmith, 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 Brownsmith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brownsmith in America

Brownsmith is the 77012th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brownsmith surname appeared 249 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Brownsmith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brownsmith 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 Brownsmith

The surname BROWNSMITH is of English origin, dating back to the early medieval period. It is a occupational surname, derived from the Old English words "brun" meaning brown and "smitan" meaning to strike or hammer, referring to a worker in iron or blacksmith.

The earliest recorded reference to the BROWNSMITH name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Brunesmitha" in Lincolnshire. This suggests the name was already well-established by the late 11th century in parts of eastern England.

Over time, the spelling evolved, with variations such as Brounsmyth, Brounesmythe, and Brownesmyth found in historical records from the 13th to 16th centuries. These early spellings reflect the regional accents and dialects of the areas where the name was most prevalent.

One of the earliest known bearers of the BROWNSMITH name was John Brownsmyth, a blacksmith mentioned in the borough records of Nottingham in 1327. In the 15th century, the name appears in the court rolls of Wakefield, Yorkshire, with references to Richard Brounsmyth (1442) and William Brounesmyth (1465).

The BROWNSMITH surname is also found in connection with several place names in England, such as Brownsmith Green in Staffordshire and Brownsmith Crescent in Cheshire, suggesting the name's association with specific localities where blacksmithing was a prominent trade.

Notable individuals with the BROWNSMITH surname include:

1. Thomas Brownsmith (1557-1619), an English clergyman and author of a theological work titled "The Reason of Christ's Suffering."
2. John Brownsmith (1604-1679), an English Puritan minister and religious writer active during the English Civil War.
3. William Brownsmith (1746-1821), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Elizabeth Brownsmith (1768-1853), an English author and poet known for her works on religious and moral themes.
5. James Brownsmith (1840-1912), a British engineer and inventor, best known for his contributions to the development of early mechanical calculators.

The BROWNSMITH name has a rich history, reflecting the importance of metalworking and blacksmithing trades in medieval and early modern England. While the occupational origins of the name are clear, it has also become associated with specific regions and localities over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brownsmith

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

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

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

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