Brant
A surname that likely began as a nickname or short form from a Germanic word for "firebrand" or "sword."
The #3,301 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 28,362 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Brant is generally linked to a Germanic word meaning "burning" or "fiery," related to forms like Old English and Old Norse brand and Old High German brant, "firebrand" or "sword." In surname use, it may have started as a nickname for someone fierce, bold, or "fiery," and in some cases could also reflect a short form of a longer name containing this element. The same root appears in many European languages and surnames, which helps explain multiple independent origins.
History
Medieval records show Brant and Brand used in England from an early period, and the two spellings often overlap in historical documents. Because the same Germanic word existed across several languages, the surname may have arisen more than once, both in England and on the Continent. Later English examples continue into the 16th-18th centuries, but the name never became especially common compared with the more widespread Brand.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same ancient root behind Brant is also found in the first element of the personal name Rembrandt.
From the historical record
“REMBRANDT' Godlike Brand [v. under Rainbird, and -1- O.Teut. brand, brant, i sword, firebrand] Renbrand occurs in Heyne's List of 9th- iith cent. Old Low German Proper”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Brant
- Sebastian Brant (1458–1521)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.