Explore the Family Name Breit

The meaning of Breit

German: 1. nickname from Middle High German breit ‘broad, fat’, also ‘famous, known far and wide’. 2. topographic name for a farmer of a field of a certain width, of the same etymology as 1 above, or a habitational name from Breidt in Rhineland-Palatinate or Breidt in North Rhine-Westphalia. Some characteristic forenames: German Heinz, Alphons, Erwin.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Breit in the United States?

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Breit saw a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 20,099 out of all surnames, but by 2010 it had fallen to 20,408, marking a decrease of 1.54%. The total count of individuals with this surname, however, increased by 5.51% during this time period, rising from 1,234 in 2000 to 1,302 in 2010. Despite this increase in count, the proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people decreased by 4.35%.

20002010Change
Rank#20,099#20,408-1.54%
Count1,2341,3025.51%
Proportion per 100k0.460.44-4.35%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Breit

Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Breit, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts over the decade. While the majority of individuals identifying as White slightly declined from 97.00% in 2000 to 94.01% in 2010, there were notable increases in other ethnic groups. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic rose from 1.30% to 2.00%, an increase of 53.85%. Additionally, the percentages of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black also grew, although they started from a base of zero in 2000. Those identifying as two or more races also saw an increase, from 0.73% to 1.23%. However, the percentage of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native marginally declined by 7.32%.

20002010Change
White97%94.01%-3.08%
Hispanic1.3%2%53.85%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%1.54%0%
Two or More Races0.73%1.23%68.49%
Black0%0.84%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.41%0.38%-7.32%