Explore the Family Name Braun
The meaning of Braun
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname from German braun ‘brown’ (Middle High German brūn), referring to the color of the hair, complexion, or clothing. 2. German: from the personal name Bruno, which was borne by the Dukes of Saxony, among others, from the 10th century or before. It was also the name of several medieval German and Italian saints, including Saint Bruno, the founder of the Carthusian order (1030–1101), who was born in Cologne. See also Brun. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Hans, Ernst, Otto, Alois, Gerhard, Helmut, Fritz, Heinz, Joerg, Wolfgang, Egon.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Braun in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Braun has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Braun was ranked as the 973rd most popular surname, but by 2010 it had fallen to 1012th place, a decrease of 4.01%. Despite this, the actual count of people with this surname increased by 5.55% from 32,676 in 2000 to 34,491 in 2010. However, when it comes to representation per 100,000 people, the proportion fell by 3.47% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #973 | #1,012 | -4.01% |
| Count | 32,676 | 34,491 | 5.55% |
| Proportion per 100k | 12.11 | 11.69 | -3.47% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Braun
The Braun surname's ethnicity breakdown also experienced changes according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. As of 2010, the majority of Brauns identified as White, making up 94.26% of the total Braun population, a marginal reduction of 1.78% from 2000. The proportion of Brauns identifying as Hispanic saw the most significant increase, rising by 62.92% to make up 2.90% of the total Braun population. The number of Brauns identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, those of two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also increased, though they still make up a relatively small part of the overall Braun population.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.97% | 94.26% | -1.78% |
| Hispanic | 1.78% | 2.9% | 62.92% |
| Two or More Races | 0.96% | 1.28% | 33.33% |
| Black | 0.5% | 0.68% | 36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.6% | 11.11% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.24% | 0.29% | 20.83% |
Braun 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 Braun is French & German, which comprises 38.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (28.6%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (8.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 38.2% |
| British & Irish | 28.6% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 8.6% |
| Other | 24.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Braun
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 Braun have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 64.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 64.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 64.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 64.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 64.00% |
What Braun 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 Braun is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Miller, Fischer, Schneider, Kramer, Meyer, Wagner, Lang, Meyers, Weber, Bauer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Braun 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 Braun 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.
"Braun" Surname 45.6%
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.
"Braun" Surname 24.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Braun" Surname 17.8%
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.
"Braun" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Braun?
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 Braun are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition