Explore the Family Name Bracken
The meaning of Bracken
1. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Breacáin ‘descendant of Breacán’, a personal name from a diminutive of breac ‘speckled, spotted’, which was borne by a 6th-century Christian saint who lived at Ballyconnel, County Cavan, and was famous as a healer; Saint Bricin’s Military Hospital, Dublin is named in his honor. 2. Irish: from Ó Bragáin, see Bragan. 3. English: topographic name from Middle English braken ‘bracken’ (from Old English bræcen or Old Norse brakni), or a habitational name from a place called with this word, such as Bracken in East Yorkshire, Bracken Fold in Westmorland, or Bracon Ash in Norfolk. 4. German: especially in the north, probably a topographic name from Middle Low German brake ‘brushwood, fallow land, copse’, an element of many field and placenames.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bracken in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Bracken has seen a slight decrease in rank from 4068 in 2000 to 4299 in 2010, representing a -5.68% change. Despite a declining rank, the count of people with this surname increased by 2.77%, with 8042 individuals in 2000 and 8265 individuals in 2010. The proportion of those with the Bracken surname per 100k also dropped by -6.04%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,068 | #4,299 | -5.68% |
| Count | 8,042 | 8,265 | 2.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.98 | 2.8 | -6.04% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bracken
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Bracken according to the Decennial U.S. Census, several changes were observed between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 11.54%, while those claiming two or more races rose by 35.19%. Conversely, there was a slight -1.13% decrease in those identifying as White. The proportion of Hispanic individuals increased significantly by 46.10%, and those identifying as Black experienced a slight decrease of -2.98%. Lastly, there was a substantial increase of 65.00% in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.75% | 89.72% | -1.13% |
| Black | 6.04% | 5.86% | -2.98% |
| Hispanic | 1.41% | 2.06% | 46.1% |
| Two or More Races | 1.08% | 1.46% | 35.19% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0.58% | 11.54% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.2% | 0.33% | 65% |
Bracken ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Bracken is British & Irish, which comprises 56.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.8%) and Scandinavian (4.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.8% |
| French & German | 20.8% |
| Scandinavian | 4.8% |
| Other | 17.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Bracken
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Bracken have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 92.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 92.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 92.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 91.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.70% |
What Bracken haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Bracken is R-A1786, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-A1786 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-A16 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Fisk, Riggs, Leslie, Keating, Conaway, Crisp, Davidson, Black, Andrew, Seeley.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bracken surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Bracken have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Bracken" Surname 46.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Bracken" Surname 22.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bracken" Surname 26.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Bracken" Surname 24.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bracken?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Bracken are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition