Explore the Family Name Brilliant
The meaning of Brilliant
Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Brillant ‘diamond of the finest cut’ (from French brillant, present participle of briller ‘to shine or glitter’), or from the Polish cognate brylant, which has the same meaning, or from the Yiddish cognate brilyant, which has a more general meaning, ‘diamond, jewel’. Compare Diamond. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Avi, Mayer, Meyer, Shalom.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Brilliant in the United States?
The surname Brilliant, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, has experienced minor shifts in popularity over a decade. In 2000, the surname ranked 43,290th popular across the United States, with roughly 470 people bearing it. By 2010, the count had increased slightly to 491, but the popularity rank slid down to 43,885th, a marginal decrease of 1.37%. The proportion of individuals with this last name remained steady at 0.17 per 100,000 people over the ten years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #43,290 | #43,885 | -1.37% |
| Count | 470 | 491 | 4.47% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Brilliant
The ethnic identity associated with the Brilliant surname also saw changes between 2000 and 2010, as shown by the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the vast majority of individuals with the last name Brilliant identified as White (97.23%), with Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic identities each comprising 1.06% of the total. By 2010, there was a decline in the proportion identifying as White to 92.26%, while those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic increased significantly to 2.24% and 2.85%, respectively. Additionally, 2.04% reported having two or more races in 2010, a category that wasn't represented in 2000. There were no individuals who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.23% | 92.26% | -5.11% |
| Hispanic | 1.06% | 2.85% | 168.87% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.06% | 2.24% | 111.32% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.04% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |