Explore the Family Name Brenner
The meaning of Brenner
1. German and Swiss German: from an agent derivative of Middle High German brennen ‘to burn’, in various applications. Often it is an occupational name for a distiller of spirits; it may also refer to a charcoal or lime burner or to someone who cleared forests by burning. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a distiller, from German Brenner, literally ‘burner’ (see 1 above). 3. English (of Norman origin): occupational name from Old French brenier ‘keeper of the hounds’. See Berner 3. 4. English: occupational name from Middle English brenner(e) (from an Old Norse agent noun brennari deriving from brenna ‘to burn’), denoting a burner of lime, bricks, or charcoal. See Berner 2.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Brenner in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Brenner has seen a minor decline in rank from 2106 in 2000 to 2255 in 2010, a change of -7.08%. However, despite the drop in rank, the count of individuals with the surname increased slightly by 1.93% over the same period, rising from 15,809 to 16,114. The proportion per 100k also dipped slightly from 5.86 to 5.46, marking a decrease of -6.83%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,106 | #2,255 | -7.08% |
| Count | 15,809 | 16,114 | 1.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.86 | 5.46 | -6.83% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Brenner
As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname Brenner, the Decennial U.S. Census points out some shifts between 2000 and 2010. Notably, the percentage of those identifying as White dropped from 96.15% to 94.42%, a change of -1.80%. On the other hand, individuals identifying as Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all saw increases, with the most significant jumps being in the Black (56.76%) and Hispanic (53.33%) categories. Furthermore, those who identified as belonging to two or more races increased by 51.11%, going from 0.90% to 1.36% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.15% | 94.42% | -1.8% |
| Hispanic | 1.65% | 2.53% | 53.33% |
| Two or More Races | 0.9% | 1.36% | 51.11% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.5% | 0.59% | 18% |
| Black | 0.37% | 0.58% | 56.76% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.42% | 0.52% | 23.81% |
Brenner 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 Brenner is British & Irish, which comprises 28.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.6%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (23.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 28.5% |
| French & German | 26.6% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 23.8% |
| Other | 21.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Brenner
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 Brenner have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 63.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 63.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 63.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 63.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 63.00% |
What Brenner 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 Brenner is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and I-M253, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Koenig, Frank, Schneider, Singer, Meyer, Herman, Becker, Schmidt, Fischer, Weber.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Brenner 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 Brenner 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.
"Brenner" Surname 37.2%
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.
"Brenner" Surname 23.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Brenner" Surname 19.5%
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.
"Brenner" Surname 18.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Brenner?
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 Brenner are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition