Surname Brenan - Meaning and Origin

Brenan: What does the surname Brenan mean?

The surname Brenan is an anglicized version of an Irish Gaelic name derived from O Braonain, which is derived from the personal name Braon or Bran (sometimes spelled Ó Braonáin in Irish). The personal name Bran is a diminutive of the Gaelic word for raven, "bran". The surname was originally common in County Mayo, in the Province of Connaught in Ireland, where it remains most prevalent to this day.

Brenan has different origins in different parts of the British Isles. In Scotland, it is an anglicization of the Gaelic surname MacBràn, meaning "son of the raven". In England, it is also an anglicized form of the legendary Welsh surname of Brenin, which is thought to be derived from an Old English namemeaning "king".

The name Brenan can be found in other countries as well. It is a common name in Northern Ireland, as well as in Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

The surname Brenan is representative of the fierce, loyal, and brave people who have protected their homes, their families, and their culture for generations. The name connotes a reverence for their Celtic roots, and a proud streak of independence and strength. Furthermore, the raven symbolizes traditions of wizardry and magical powers, as well as battles successfully won. Today, the name Brenan continues to be representative of these same qualities.

Brenan: Where does the name Brenan come from?

The last name Brenan is most commonly found in the United States and Ireland today. In the United States, the name is most prevalent in the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, New Jersey, and New York, along with states in the South such as Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It is also relatively common in the Northeastern states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, and Pennsylvania. In Ireland, where the surname has its roots, Brenan is most commonly found throughout the western part of the country. Due to its Irish heritage, the name is most heavily concentrated in counties such as Mayo, Cork, Galway, Clare, and Limerick.

There is also a small presence of the name Brenan outside of the United States and Ireland. Within the UK, especially in Scotland, it is somewhat common, as is the case with a handful of other countries in Europe such as Germany and Belgium. When segregated by gender, the last name Brenan is much more common as a masculine name than it is as a female name.

In the US, the name Brenan ranked 3,333rd by popularity in 2017, with a total of 8,069 people in the US bearing the last name. Since 2000, the name has been consistently ranked between 3,000 and 4,000.

Variations of the surname Brenan

The surname Brenan is derived from the Old Irish personal name Bran, which is derived from the Gaelic word for ‘raven’. There are numerous variants, spellings and surnames derived from the same origin, including Brennan, Brennen, Breinan, Brennon, Brannon and Brannan.

Brenan is thought to be an Irish surname, many variants of which still remain throughout Ireland today. The Brenan spelling is now used more commonly in the United States, Australia and Canada. In addition, Breinan is used in greater frequency in Scotland.

In the United States, the surname is commonly spelled Brennan. According to the U.S. census of 1990, this spelling is the 7th most popular surname in the country, with over 519,000 individuals using it. Its popularity is also reflected in England and Wales, where the spelling Brennan is ranked within the top 30 surnames of the country and is used by more than 30,000 individuals.

An American variant of the surname is Brannan, which is also found in Scotland, Australia and Canada. This spelling is used by over 9,000 people and is also within the top 1000 surnames in England and Wales.

The surname Brannon is more common in Australia, while Brennon is often used in New Zealand. Other variants are also used in regional countries such as Ireland, Scotland and Canada.

Overall, the surname Brenan has numerous variants, spellings and surnames that are derived from the same origin. These were developed in Ireland and are now found among countries in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Famous people with the name Brenan

• Melissa Brennan: American figure skater and choreographer
• Matt Brenan: previous American Footballer for the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Matt Brennan: camping entrepreneur and active philanthropist
• Katy Brennan: former international table tennis player
• Paul Brennan: awarded pottery artist from Ireland
• Connor Brennan: accomplished British songwriter
• Patrick Brennan: senior editor from USA Today
• William Brennan: former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
• John Brennan: former Director of the CIA
• Chris Brennan: record producer and guitarist from Australia
• Siobhan Brennan: Irish TV actress
• David Brennan: former Chairman and CEO of AstraZeneca
• Lori Brennan: former ideas editor of The New York Times
• Jeffrey Brennan: American investor and housing and real estate specialist
• Sarah Brennan: UK television presenter
• Errol Brennan: reggae producer and sound system operator

Other surnames

BrenaghBrenane