Explore the Family Name Brightwell
The meaning of Brightwell
English: habitational name from any of various places, for example in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Suffolk, named Brightwell, from Old English beorht ‘bright, clear’ + well(a) ‘spring, stream’. Perhaps also from Britwell in Burnham (Buckinghamshire), or Britwell Prior or Britwell Salome (both Oxfordshire).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Brightwell in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the Brightwell surname has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 11,781 in popularity in the United States, slipping to 12,703 in 2010, marking a decrease of 7.83%. The number of people bearing the Brightwell surname also marginally declined from 2,435 in 2000 to 2,430 in 2010, a drop of 0.21%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with this last name per 100,000 people decreased by 8.89%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,781 | #12,703 | -7.83% |
| Count | 2,435 | 2,430 | -0.21% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.9 | 0.82 | -8.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Brightwell
Looking at the ethnicity distribution for the surname Brightwell in the Decennial U.S. Census data, the majority of individuals identified as White, although this group saw a small decline from 80.53% in 2000 to 78.85% in 2010. The percentage of people identifying as Black increased slightly from 15.44% in 2000 to 16.21% in 2010. There was also a noticeable increase in those identifying as Two or More Races, growing by 25.69%, and those identifying as Hispanic, which saw a rise of 14.72%. Additionally, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander categories appeared in 2010, representing 0.58% and 0.29% respectively of individuals with the Brightwell surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.53% | 78.85% | -2.09% |
| Black | 15.44% | 16.21% | 4.99% |
| Hispanic | 1.97% | 2.26% | 14.72% |
| Two or More Races | 1.44% | 1.81% | 25.69% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.58% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.29% | 0% |