The Brake surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,220 people carried this name — #5,591 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 47,400 people counted. That is up 8% from 5,764 in 2000.

See Brake on the map Look up another surname

Share

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Brake was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Dorset: 21 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 476. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Dorset 21
Somerset 12

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

20 families named Brake, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 119 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 6
Virginia 6
North Carolina 5
Maryland 2
Pennsylvania 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 231 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Brake in American newspapers,
1887–1924.

Newspaper page from The Ocala Evening Star carrying the name Brake
The Ocala Evening Star 1903-09-14
Newspaper page from Savannah Morning News carrying the name Brake
Savannah Morning News 1887-02-18
Newspaper page from The Milwaukee Leader carrying the name Brake
The Milwaukee Leader 1924-05-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 993 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Brake in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

11,445 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Brake. The most, 3,216, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 2.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 5,105
Queensland 3,717
New South Wales 1,623
South Australia 579
Tasmania 227
Western Australia 178
ACT (Canberra) 12
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Brake.

Who carried it

People named Brake,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert M. Brake
    Robert M. Brake d. 2000 · politician
  • Edith Brake West
    Edith Brake West 1883–1969 · teacher
  • Edith Brake West
    Edith Brake West 1885–1969 · teacher
  • Jack Brake
    Jack Brake 1890–1970 · agronomist
  • William Lenthall Brake 1787– · naval officer
  • James Hugh Brake 1853–1915 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Brake,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States371 records

371 records of the Brake name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 167
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 108
  • Other U.S. records 96
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Leonard A. Brake

    Born 1919 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1944 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi; driver. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1964, buried at Nashville National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Brake

    Arrived at Philadelphia in 1839 aboard the Johann Georg from Bremen, aged 21; farmer. From Oldenburg, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Boyd Lawrence Brake

    Born 1948; from Adairville, Kentucky. U.S. Marine Corps, mortarman; killed in action 1969 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 371 records for Brake in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Netherlands280 records

280 records of the Brake name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 162
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 87
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 31
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gerhard Brake

    Married in 1889 in Losser; factory worker. Died 1904 in Losser, aged 44.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jannigje Brake

    Born 1832 in Noordeloos. Died 1838 in Noordeloos.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Gorinchem (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Petrus Johannes Brake

    In the population register of Liempde; domestic servant, born 1887 in Liempde.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 280 records for Brake in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Australia157 records

157 records of the Brake name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 62
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 60
  • Other Australian records 35
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record George Brake

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the General Hewitt, arriving 1814; certificate of freedom 1827.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William Brake

    Arrived in Queensland in 1876 aboard the St James, aged 34.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record James Brake

    Schoolmaster of Hamilton, Victoria; died 1854.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 157 records for Brake in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Germany73 records

73 records of the Brake name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Konrad Brake

    From Paderborn. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 23 February 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 158).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Theodor Brake

    From Altendorf, Hattingen. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 30 June 1915 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 39).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Justus Brake

    From Cassel. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 3 July 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 73 records for Brake in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Canada14 records

14 records of the Brake name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 8
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Vincent Joseph Brake

    Buried in 1992 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 85.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Joseph Brake

    Died 1969 in New Waterford, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Alonzo Steele Brake

    Died 1918; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 14 records for Brake in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand10 records

10 records of the Brake name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 6
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Harry Peach Brake

    Died 1948, aged 76; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Norman William Brake

    Died 1986, aged 72; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eleanor Mary Brake

    Died 1946, aged 79; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Brake in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom4 records

4 records of the Brake name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Brake

    Dorsetshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record G. H. Brake

    Sapper, Royal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. G. Brake

    Dorsetshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Brake in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France1 record

1 record of the Brake name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Lionel Edward Brake

    Born 1931 in Great Britain; died 2001 in Bergerac (Dordogne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Brake.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Brake is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Brake volume
Scroll to Top