2000
#2,499
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,237
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.91
Uncommon Last name
Breen
An Irish surname derived from Ó Braoin, meaning "descendant of Braon," a byname meaning "rain" or "tear."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,377 Americans carry the last name Breen. That puts it at #2,799 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,840 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Breen 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 Breen with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 23,840
Census rank
#2,799
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,537 bearers of the surname Breen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2799th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Breen, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Breen
The surname Breen is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "broin," which means "sadness" or "sorrow." The name is believed to have originated in County Tipperary during the 11th century.
In its earliest forms, the surname was spelled as "O'Braoin" or "O'Breen," with the prefix "O'" indicating a descendant of a particular clan or family. Over time, the prefix was dropped, and the name evolved into its modern spelling of "Breen."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Breen can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, an Irish chronicle that dates back to the 12th century. The annals mention a notable individual named Aodh O'Breen, who was a member of the clergy and served as the Bishop of Killaloe from 1152 to 1161.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Breen surname was particularly prominent in County Clare and County Limerick. In the 1659 census of Ireland, several Breen families were recorded in these regions, including John Breen of Ballynalackan, County Clare, and William Breen of Gort Breen, County Limerick.
One notable figure in Irish history bearing the Breen surname was John Breen, a revolutionary leader who fought against British rule in the late 18th century. Born in County Wexford in 1759, Breen played a pivotal role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and was eventually executed for his involvement in the uprising.
In the literary world, the Irish writer Brian Breen (1923-1993) gained recognition for his novels and short stories that explored themes of Irish identity and culture. His best-known works include "The Lilac Bus" (1969) and "The Final Door" (1980).
Another significant individual with the Breen surname was Sir John Breen (1836-1904), a British naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the late 19th century. His contributions to polar exploration earned him recognition and honors, including a knighthood in 1897.
While the Breen name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish emigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Breen
Among Census respondents with the surname Breen, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Breen 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 Breen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.9% · 11,266
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 443
- Black or African American3.0% · 373
- Two or more races2.6% · 331
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 104
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Breen
Breen 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
#2,549
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,170
+933 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 4.80
Rank movement Down 50 places
2020
#2,799
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,537
-1,633 bearers (-11.5%)
Per 100,000 4.19
Rank movement Down 250 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,499 | 13,237 | 4.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,549 | 14,170 | 4.80 | +933 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 50 places |
| 2020 | #2,799 | 12,537 | 4.19 | -1,633 bearers (-11.5%) | Down 250 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 Breen 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 | #2,549 | #2,799 | -9.8% |
| Count | 14,170 | 12,537 | -11.5% |
| Per 100K | 4.80 | 4.19 | -12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Breen bearers went from 14,170 to 12,537 (-11.5% change). The surname moved down 250 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,549 to #2,799.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Breen
FAQ
Breen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Breen?
Name Census estimates that about 14,377 living Americans carry the surname Breen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,840 residents.
How common is Breen?
Breen ranks #2,799 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.19 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,537 people with the surname Breen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,377), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.19 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Breen.
Has Breen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Breen went from 14,170 recorded bearers to 12,537. That is a decrease of 1,633 (-11.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,549 to #2,799.
What does the Census say about the background of Breen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Breen, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (3.0%). 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 Breen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.9% (11,266 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Breen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.9%), Hispanic (3.5%), Black (3.0%). 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 Breen (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 Breen mean?
An Irish surname derived from Ó Braoin, meaning "descendant of Braon," a byname meaning "rain" or "tear." 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 Breen (4.19 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 many people have the surname Breen?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.