Explore the Family Name Brannigan
The meaning of Brannigan
Irish (East Ulster): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Branagáin ‘descendant of Branagán’, a personal name from a double diminutive of bran ‘raven’. Compare Brennan and Byrne. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Brannigan in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Brannigan experienced slight fluctuations in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Brannigan was ranked the 16,838th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 17,502nd spot, a decrease of approximately 3.94%. However, the count of individuals with the last name Brannigan actually grew slightly from 1,560 in 2000 to 1,610 in 2010, an increase of 3.21%. Still, when measured per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the surname decreased by 5.17%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,838 | #17,502 | -3.94% |
| Count | 1,560 | 1,610 | 3.21% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.58 | 0.55 | -5.17% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Brannigan
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Brannigan, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals interesting shifts over the same decade. The largest group identifying as Brannigans remained those of White ethnicity, though the proportion dipped slightly from 92.05% in 2000 to 89.32% in 2010. Meanwhile, the number of Brannigans identifying as Hispanic more than doubled, from 1.41% to 2.86%. There were also increases among those identifying as Black (from 4.10% to 5.03%) and those identifying with two or more races (from 1.60% to 2.11%). Notably, the 2010 census marked the first instances of Brannigans identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, albeit at small proportions of 0.37% and 0.31% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.05% | 89.32% | -2.97% |
| Black | 4.1% | 5.03% | 22.68% |
| Hispanic | 1.41% | 2.86% | 102.84% |
| Two or More Races | 1.6% | 2.11% | 31.87% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.37% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.31% | 0% |