Brann
A surname that likely began as a short form or spelling variant of names related to Brown, Bran, or Branch.
The #7,629 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 70,976 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical sources point in more than one direction. In English records, Brann appears as a shortened or variant form connected with names such as Bran and Branch, while a German source also links it to Brun/Brann and the old word for brown. That means the surname may have developed either from a nickname based on color or from a reduced form of another personal or place-name.
History
The name is comparatively uncommon and appears in the sources as a variant spelling rather than a firmly fixed medieval surname. Because the evidence is mixed, it is best understood as one of several closely related forms that could have arisen independently in different regions. Modern bearers may therefore have different ancestral origins even when the surname is spelled the same way.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One of the cited sources treats Brann as a form that can sit near both English and German surname families, which is a good reminder that the same spelling can hide different origins.
From the historical record
“Bramwell. See Bramall Bran. A. S. Bren, Beorn (bear); G. Brann ; p.n. Branch. From St Denis de Branche ; a loc. n., Norm. Dch. Branse ; FI. Branche ; p.n. Bran- chon ; a loc. n., Belg.”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)