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

Bryson, 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 Bryson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bryson in America

Bryson is the 1954th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bryson surname appeared 18,486 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Bryson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bryson 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 Bryson

The surname Bryson is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "bri" meaning "bridge" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "farm." This suggests that the name originated from a place where someone lived near a bridge or a farm with a bridge.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire, where it appears as "de Brixton." This early spelling variation indicates that the name likely originated from the place name Brixton, located in Surrey, England.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to places with similar names, such as "Brictesham" in Norfolk and "Brichestamestun" in Hertfordshire, which may have been the origins of the name Bryson.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bryson was John Bryson, who was born in Yorkshire, England, in the late 14th century. He was a merchant and landowner known for his contributions to the local community.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Bryson, a Scottish noble who lived in the 15th century. He was a knight and landowner who played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England.

In the 16th century, there was a family of Brysons who were prominent in the wool trade in Yorkshire. The most famous member was William Bryson, born in 1525, who became a wealthy merchant and served as a magistrate in the city of York.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a soldier named James Bryson fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was born in Northumberland in 1610 and participated in several major battles, including the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644.

Another notable individual was Mary Bryson, born in 1723 in Glasgow, Scotland. She was a pioneering advocate for women's education and established one of the first schools for girls in Scotland.

While the Bryson surname is found throughout the English-speaking world today, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it was associated with specific locations and individuals who played significant roles in various aspects of society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bryson

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

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

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

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