2000
#4,754
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,820
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.53
Rare Last name
Brumley
Habitational surname derived from any of the places named Bromley, meaning "woodland clearing where broom grows."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,403 Americans carry the last name Brumley. That puts it at #5,225 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 46,299 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brumley 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 Brumley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.4K
1 in 46,299
Census rank
#5,225
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,456 bearers of the surname Brumley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5225th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brumley, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brumley
The surname Brumley is of English origin, originating from the region of West Midlands. It is derived from the Old English words "brom" meaning "broom" and "leah" meaning "a clearing in a forest". Thus, the name Brumley referred to someone who lived in a clearing overgrown with broom plants.
The earliest known record of the name Brumley dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire, where it was spelled as "Bromleye". This suggests that the name was initially associated with a specific location, likely a small village or settlement in the area.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire as "Bromleye" and "Bromley", indicating variations in spelling but still retaining its connection to the original Old English words.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Brumley was John Brumley, who was born in the late 15th century in Staffordshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a local magistrate during the reign of King Henry VIII.
Another notable figure was William Brumley (1563-1632), a clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick. He was known for his translations of religious texts and was a respected figure in the Church of England.
In the 17th century, the name Brumley was also found in various parish records throughout the West Midlands region, indicating its continued presence and spread across the area.
During the English Civil War (1642-1651), a Thomas Brumley (1610-1676) fought on the Parliamentarian side and was later granted lands in Shropshire for his services.
Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Brumley (1712-1790), a successful merchant and landowner from Staffordshire. He was involved in the local government and served as a justice of the peace for several years.
In the 19th century, the Brumley family was well-established in the West Midlands, with several members holding prominent positions in various professions, including law, medicine, and education.
Overall, the surname Brumley has a rich history rooted in the West Midlands region of England, with its origins dating back to the 13th century and ties to the Old English language. Throughout the centuries, individuals bearing this name have made significant contributions in various fields, solidifying the surname's presence in the region's history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brumley
Among Census respondents with the surname Brumley, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Brumley 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 Brumley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.7% · 5,532
- Two or more races5.0% · 323
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 251
- Black or African American3.9% · 249
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 56
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 45
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brumley
Brumley 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
#4,983
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,046
+226 bearers (+3.3%)
Per 100,000 2.39
Rank movement Down 229 places
2020
#5,225
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,456
-590 bearers (-8.4%)
Per 100,000 2.16
Rank movement Down 242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,754 | 6,820 | 2.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,983 | 7,046 | 2.39 | +226 bearers (+3.3%) | Down 229 places |
| 2020 | #5,225 | 6,456 | 2.16 | -590 bearers (-8.4%) | Down 242 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 Brumley 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 | #4,983 | #5,225 | -4.9% |
| Count | 7,046 | 6,456 | -8.4% |
| Per 100K | 2.39 | 2.16 | -9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brumley bearers went from 7,046 to 6,456 (-8.4% change). The surname moved down 242 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,983 to #5,225.
FAQ
Brumley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brumley?
Name Census estimates that about 7,403 living Americans carry the surname Brumley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 46,299 residents.
How common is Brumley?
Brumley ranks #5,225 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,456 people with the surname Brumley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,403), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Brumley.
Has Brumley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brumley went from 7,046 recorded bearers to 6,456. That is a decrease of 590 (-8.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,983 to #5,225.
What does the Census say about the background of Brumley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brumley, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Brumley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (5,532 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brumley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.7%), Two or More Races (5.0%), Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Brumley (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 Brumley mean?
Habitational surname derived from any of the places named Bromley, meaning "woodland clearing where broom grows." 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 Brumley (2.16 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 many people have the surname Brumley?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.