The Brent surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,820 people carried this name — #4,535 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 37,700 people counted. That is up 5% from 7,436 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Brent surname

A habitational surname from Old English.

English surname from placenames in Devon and Somerset, from Old English brant (“steep”), referring to hills.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Brent» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Brent’.

An early record he cites: Thomas de Brente, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 131 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

38 families named Brent, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 212 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Brent, Breant, Brend, Brents, Brint. 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

Virginia 26
Maryland 7
New York 4
Connecticut 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

Brent in American newspapers,
1886–1903.

Newspaper page from The Starkville News carrying the name Brent
The Starkville News 1903-08-21
Newspaper page from Weekly Commercial Herald carrying the name Brent
Weekly Commercial Herald 1886-05-14
Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Brent
The Portland Daily Press 1895-11-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 7,196 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Brent in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

16,330 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Brent. The most, 3,313, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 3.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,615
Victoria 4,297
Tasmania 2,938
Queensland 2,549
South Australia 1,078
Western Australia 525
ACT (Canberra) 187
Northern Territory 11

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

Who carried it

People named Brent,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Charlotte Brent
    Charlotte Brent 1734–1802 · opera singer
  • Charlotte Brent
    Charlotte Brent 1734–1802 · opera singer
  • Charlotte Brent
    Charlotte Brent 1735–1802 · opera singer
  • Charlotte Brent
    Charlotte Brent 1735–1802 · opera singer
  • Richard Brent
    Richard Brent 1757–1814 · lawyer
  • Sarah Salt d. 1914

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 Brent,
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 States648 records

648 records of the Brent name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 254
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 128
  • Other U.S. records 266
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Harold F. Brent

    Born 1916 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1941 at Springfield; clerk from Hampden County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at St Jerome Rectory, Holyoke, Massachusetts.

    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 Aplonia Brent

    Arrived at New York in 1846 aboard the Shakespeare from Havre, aged 24; farmer. From Bavaria, 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 Edmund David Brent

    Born 1934; from Baltimore, Maryland. U.S. Marine Corps, infantry unit leader; killed in action 1966 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 648 records for Brent in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Netherlands577 records

577 records of the Brent name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 284
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 147
  • Dutch population registers 146
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Christoffel Brent

    Married in 1885 in Charlois. Died 1945 in Rotterdam, aged 82.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Cornelia Brent

    Married in 1836 in Loon op Zand; born 1807 in Waspik. Died 1876 in Loon op Zand.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Christoffel Brent

    Married in 1836 in Schiedam. Died 1875 in Schiedam, aged 76.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Schiedam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 577 records for Brent 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).

Australia378 records

378 records of the Brent name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 152
  • Tasmanian Names Index 129
  • Other Australian records 97
  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 John Brent

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Bangalore, sailing from Bermuda in 1848. Native of Newington, Surrey. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849. Married 1849 in Hobart, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Sarah Ann Brent

    Died 1891 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 69. Will registered in Tasmania in 1891.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizh Brent

    Arrived in Queensland in 1874 aboard the Indus, aged 15.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 378 records for Brent in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada39 records

39 records of the Brent name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 26
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 4
  • Other Canadian records 9
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Brent

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Moravian, landing at Portland, bound for Barrie, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Victor Emanuel Brent

    Died 1971 in Sandy Point, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, aged 79.

    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 George Brent

    Buried in 1942 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

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

Showing 3 of 39 records for Brent in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · 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: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Brent name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charlotte Brent

    Buried in 1847 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 63.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. C. Brent

    Gunner, Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    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 J. Brent

    Royal Berkshire 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 7 records for Brent in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France4 records

4 records of the Brent 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 Louis Henri Yves Brent

    Born 1938 in Beuzec-Conq (Finistère); died 1984 in Lanester (Morbihan).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Catherine Marie Brent

    Born 1899 in Saint-Goazec (Finistère); died 1974 in Juaye-Mondaye (Calvados).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Brent in France.

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).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Brent name in New Zealand
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ann Hester Browning Brent

    Died 1980, aged 95; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record A. Brent

    Lance Corporal, New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Germany2 records

2 records of the Brent 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 Erich Brent

    From Wien. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 11 February 1919 (Infantry Regiment No. 95).

    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 Franz Brent

    From Mühlhausen, Pforzheim. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 29 May 1918.

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

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Brent.

When the index is not enough

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