Explore the Family Name Brand
The meaning of Brand
1. English, Scottish, North German, Scandinavian, Dutch, and French (mainly Alsace and Lorraine): from the ancient Germanic personal name Brando, Old Norse Brandr, a short form of various compound names containing the element brand ‘sword’ (a derivative of brinnan ‘to flash’), of which the best known is Hildebrand. There is placename evidence for Brant(a) as an Old English personal name; however, the Middle English personal name Brand was probably introduced to England from Old Norse. 2. German: variant of Brandt 1 and, in North America, (also) an altered form of this. 3. Swedish and Danish: ornamental name or nickname from brand ‘fire’. 4. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name or nickname from German Brant ‘fire, conflagration’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Brand in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Brand saw a slight increase in prevalence between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1751st most common surname in America, while by 2010, it had moved up to the 1879th position, despite a decrease of 7.31% in rank. The actual number of individuals bearing the Brand surname increased by 2.05% during this period, from 18,750 in 2000 to 19,135 in 2010. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a decrease of 6.62%, moving from 6.95 in 2000 to 6.49 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,751 | #1,879 | -7.31% |
| Count | 18,750 | 19,135 | 2.05% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.95 | 6.49 | -6.62% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Brand
As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname Brand, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates some notable changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (85.09%), a figure that slightly declined to 83.14% by 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Black also increased from 8.82% in 2000 to 9.52% in 2010. The Hispanic representation among individuals with this surname saw a significant increase, rising from 4.04% in 2000 to 4.92% in 2010. There were also increases in the percentages of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan Native, as well as those reporting two or more races.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.09% | 83.14% | -2.29% |
| Black | 8.82% | 9.52% | 7.94% |
| Hispanic | 4.04% | 4.92% | 21.78% |
| Two or More Races | 1.16% | 1.44% | 24.14% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.43% | 0.51% | 18.6% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 0.49% | 8.89% |
Brand 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 Brand is British & Irish, which comprises 38.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (29.7%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (10.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 38.0% |
| French & German | 29.7% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 10.6% |
| Other | 21.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Brand
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 Brand have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 76.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 76.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 75.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 75.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 75.60% |
What Brand 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 Brand is R-Y3444, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Y3444 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M167 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: David, Miller, Smith, Baker, Brown, Hall, Green, Jensen, Taylor, Young.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Brand surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Brand 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.
"Brand" Surname 43.4%
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.
"Brand" Surname 31.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Brand" Surname 24.1%
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.
"Brand" Surname 18.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Brand?
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 Brand are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition