Explore the Family Name Brother
The meaning of Brother
1. English: from Middle English brother, broder ‘brother’ (Old English brōthor), denoting either a kinsman of some important person or a member of a guild seen as a brotherhood. Alternatively, from the Middle English personal name Brother (Old Norse Bróthir), with the same meaning. 2. Irish: variant of Broder 3, from Ó Bruadair, which likely derives from Old Norse personal name Bróthir. 3. Americanized form of French Brodeur. History: Some of the American bearers of the surname Brother are descendants of Jean Brodeur dit Lavigne from France (see Brodeur).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Brother in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Brother" has seen a decline in popularity over the years. In 2000, the surname was ranked 57,544 in terms of popularity and this ranking dropped to 73,911 by 2010, marking a decline of 28.44%. During the same decade, the count of people with the surname also decreased from 331 to 262, reflecting a drop of 20.85%. The proportion of individuals with the surname "Brother" per 100,000 people also fell by 25% from 0.12 in 2000 to 0.09 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #57,544 | #73,911 | -28.44% |
| Count | 331 | 262 | -20.85% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.09 | -25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Brother
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Brother", according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there was an increase in the number of individuals identifying as White and Hispanic between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as White increased from 80.66% to 82.06%, an uptick of 1.74%, while those identifying as Hispanic rose from 7.25% to 8.40%, a 15.86% increase. On the contrary, the percentage of people identifying as Black decreased by 24.12%, falling from 10.57% in 2000 to 8.02% in 2010. There were no individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.66% | 82.06% | 1.74% |
| Hispanic | 7.25% | 8.4% | 15.86% |
| Black | 10.57% | 8.02% | -24.12% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |