2000
#16,168
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,644
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.61
Rare Last name
Bratt
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "steep or declivitous place."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,933 Americans carry the last name Bratt. That puts it at #16,531 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 177,317 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bratt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bratt with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.9K
1 in 177,317
Census rank
#16,531
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,686 bearers of the surname Bratt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 16531st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bratt, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bratt
The surname Bratt has its origins in England, with records suggesting it emerged in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bratt," which means "cloak" or "mantle." This name likely originated as a nickname given to someone who wore a distinctive cloak or mantle.
The earliest known record of the surname Bratt can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it appears as "Bratt." This document mentions a person named Richard Bratt. Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, which lists a John Bratt.
In the 14th century, the surname Bratt was recorded in various forms, such as Bratte, Brat, and Bratt. These variations reflect the different spellings and pronunciations used during that time. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 contain the name "Thomas Bratt."
One notable figure with the surname Bratt was Sir Reginald Bratt, a Member of Parliament for Norfolk in the late 15th century. He was born around 1450 and served in the Parliament of 1472-1475.
In the 16th century, the surname Bratt was found in various parts of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524 list a John Bratt, and the Subsidy Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1543 mention a Thomas Bratt.
The 17th century saw the emergence of several prominent individuals with the surname Bratt. One example is Samuel Bratt, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1638 to 1693. He was known for his work "The Divine Metaphysick," published in 1682.
Another notable figure was John Bratt, an English soldier and writer who was born in 1645 and died in 1726. He served in the British Army and wrote several works, including "The History of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden" and "The Martial Revived: or, the Ancient Military Discipline for Foote Revived."
In the 18th century, the surname Bratt continued to be found in various parts of England. One interesting reference is from the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, which mention the marriage of William Bratt and Elizabeth Barker in 1732.
Overall, the surname Bratt has a long and rich history in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated as a nickname related to clothing or appearance, and over the centuries, it has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bratt
Among Census respondents with the surname Bratt, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Bratt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bratt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.3% · 1,505
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 59
- Two or more races3.1% · 52
- Black or African American2.1% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bratt
Bratt appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,264
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,101
+457 bearers (+27.8%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Up 1,904 places
2020
#16,531
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,686
-415 bearers (-19.8%)
Per 100,000 0.56
Rank movement Down 2,267 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,168 | 1,644 | 0.61 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,264 | 2,101 | 0.71 | +457 bearers (+27.8%) | Up 1,904 places |
| 2020 | #16,531 | 1,686 | 0.56 | -415 bearers (-19.8%) | Down 2,267 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bratt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,264 | #16,531 | -15.9% |
| Count | 2,101 | 1,686 | -19.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.56 | -20.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bratt bearers went from 2,101 to 1,686 (-19.8% change). The surname moved down 2,267 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,264 to #16,531.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bratt
FAQ
Bratt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bratt?
Name Census estimates that about 1,933 living Americans carry the surname Bratt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 177,317 residents.
How common is Bratt?
Bratt ranks #16,531 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.56 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,686 people with the surname Bratt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,933), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.56 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.56 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bratt.
Has Bratt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bratt went from 2,101 recorded bearers to 1,686. That is a decrease of 415 (-19.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,264 to #16,531.
What does the Census say about the background of Bratt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bratt, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bratt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.3% (1,505 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bratt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.3%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bratt (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bratt mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "steep or declivitous place." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bratt (0.56 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Bratt?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Bratt is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.