Explore the Family Name Brillant
The meaning of Brillant
1. French Canadian: altered form of Breton Briand (compare 3 below). 2. French Canadian: shortened form of Boisbrillant, itself an altered form of Boisbriand, a byname composed of French bois ‘wood’ + the Breton surname Briand (compare 1 above and 3 below). 3. French: altered form of Breton Briant or Briand (compare 1 above), by association with the French verb briller ‘to shine’. 4. In some cases possibly also French: from a derivative of Old French bril ‘trap’, possibly applied as a figurative nickname for a cunning man. 5. Haitian: probably an ornamental name from French brillant ‘bright’. Alternatively, of the same French origin as 3 or 4 above. History: Pierre-François Briand/Brillant from Saint-Malo in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany (France), married Renée Marchand in Port-Toulouse (St. Peters), NS, Canada, c.1730. Some characteristic forenames: French Lucien, Muguette, Alcide, Benoit, Gaetan, Marcel, Martial, Philippe, Romain.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Brillant in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Brillant" has seen a slight increase between 2000 to 2010. In terms of rank, there was a marginal improvement moving from 72,237 in 2000 to 71,678 in 2010, indicating a change of 0.77%. The number of individuals bearing this surname also increased by 8.37% during this period. This growth is reflected in the count, which rose from 251 in 2000 to 272 in 2010. However, the proportion of people with the surname Brillant per 100,000 remained constant at 0.09.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #72,237 | #71,678 | 0.77% |
| Count | 251 | 272 | 8.37% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Brillant
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Brillant" also experienced certain shifts over the decade, as revealed by the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2010, there were no recorded instances of this surname within the Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. The largest group remained those identifying as white, though the percentage dropped by 12.29%, moving from 80.48% in 2000 to 70.59% in 2010. The Hispanic community saw an impressive 84.4% growth in the use of the surname, increasing from 3.59% to 6.62%. The Black and multiracial communities also saw increases in the use of "Brillant", with changes of 31.85% and 3.31% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.48% | 70.59% | -12.29% |
| Black | 13.94% | 18.38% | 31.85% |
| Hispanic | 3.59% | 6.62% | 84.4% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 3.31% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |