The Breton surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,322 people carried this name — #7,682 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 68,000 people counted. That is up 17% from 3,695 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 11,219 people named Breton.
133 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 99 départements, most often Paris.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 229 people named Breton live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
146 people named Breton live in Switzerland.
They live in 11 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 63 people named Breton live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Hainaut.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Breton in American newspapers,
1914–1920.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 70,534 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Breton,
with a public archive behind them.
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William Breton d. 1773 · politician
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Clement Breton d. 1669 · Anglican priest
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Moyle Breton d. 1821
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Isabel Breton 1343–
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Richard Breton 1524–1571 · printer
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Nicholas Breton 1545–1626 · writer
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Breton.
- Bressan 259 · U.S. census
- Bresse 113 · U.S. census
- Bresson 444 · U.S. census
- Brest 441 · U.S. census
- Bret 132 · U.S. census
- Bretey 115 · U.S. census
- Brett 5,482 · U.S. census
- Bretton 261 · U.S. census
- Bretz 3,693 · U.S. census
- Breuer 4,138 · U.S. census
- Brevard 1,278 · U.S. census
- Brey 2,326 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Breton 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.