The Brooke surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,027 people carried this name — #6,717 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 58,800 people counted. That is up 6% from 4,731 in 2000.

See Brooke on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Brooke surname

A topographic surname for someone who lived near a brook.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Brooke» (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: ‘at the brook’.

An early record he cites: Richard atte-Brook, vicar of Horseford, Norfolk, 1419 — History of Norfolk (Blomefield and Parkin).

His entry covers Brook, Brooke, Brookes and Brooks.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 138 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Brooke was found among the farmers of 9 counties.

It was most frequent in Yorkshire, West Riding: 38 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 263. 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. His list gives one count for the spellings Brook and Brooke.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, West Riding 38
Sussex 21
Suffolk 18
Worcestershire 18
Hampshire 17
Nottinghamshire 16
Devon 11
Norfolk 11

And 1 more county.

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 print

Brooke in American newspapers,
1896–1926.

Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Brooke
The Sun 1896-06-09
Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Brooke
The Sun 1896-06-12
Newspaper page from The Wolf Point Herald carrying the name Brooke
The Wolf Point Herald 1926-07-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,929 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Brooke in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

54,466 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Brooke. The most, 7,665, date from the 1860s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 20,143
New South Wales 15,080
Queensland 6,627
South Australia 4,836
Tasmania 3,983
Western Australia 3,316
ACT (Canberra) 333
Northern Territory 22

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

Who carried it

People named Brooke,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Brooke d. 1607 · politician
  • Richard Brooke d. 1569 · military personnel
  • Basil Brooke d. 1612 · politician
  • Thomas Brooke d. 1612 · politician
  • Robert Brooke d. 1613 · goldsmith
  • John Brooke d. 1582 · translator

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Brooke,
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 States800 records

800 records of the Brooke name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 177
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 175
  • Other U.S. records 448
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Macrae B. Brooke

    Born 1918 in Washington. Enlisted 1946 at Portland, Oregon; day worker. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    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 William Brooke

    Arrived at New York in 1882 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 60; fitter. From Birmingham, England; bound for Michigan.

    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 Earl Thomas Brooke

    Born 1946; from Capitol Heights, Maryland. U.S. Navy, hospital corpsman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 800 records for Brooke in the United States.

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

Australia901 records

901 records of the Brooke name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 596
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 102
  • Other Australian records 203
  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 Richard Brooke

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cressy, sailing from Plymouth in 1843. Native of Holborn, Middlesex. 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 Amy Beaumont Brooke

    Died 1920 in Stowell Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1920.

    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 Isaac Brooke

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Essex, aged 42; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 901 records for Brooke 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).

United Kingdom41 records

41 records of the Brooke name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 31
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 5
  • Other British records 5
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Emile Brooke

    Will proved in 1929; of Wrexham, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Fanny Brooke

    Buried in 1850 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 55.

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

    Yorkshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1913.

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

Showing 3 of 41 records for Brooke in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); 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).

Canada34 records

34 records of the Brooke name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 18
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 6
  • Other Canadian records 10
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Barbara Bertie Brooke

    Buried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 74.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Charles Vynes Brooke

    Buried in 1982 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Louisa Brooke

    Died 1941 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 34 records for Brooke in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · 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. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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 Zealand6 records

6 records of the Brooke name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Brooke

    Died 1895, aged 66; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City 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 J. Brooke

    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)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Pamela Mary Brooke

    Died 1983; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Brooke in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). 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).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Brooke name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Florence Brooke

    Married in 1880 in 's-Gravenhage; of private means.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Friedrich Brooke

    In the population register of Hoogezand; "zandvormer", born 1874 in Malmitz Sprottau D.

    Open Archives, Historisch Archief Midden-Groningen (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Johanna Brooke

    Buried in 1771 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Brooke 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France4 records

4 records of the Brooke 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 Marcel Louis Gaston Brooke

    Born 1909 in Paris; died 1981 in Ballainvilliers (Essonne).

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

    Born 1895 in Switzerland; died 1989 in Grasse (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Brooke 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).

Germany2 records

2 records of the Brooke 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 Wilhelm Brooke

    From Ferkerhagen. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 27 October 1914; then listed as returned from captivity in the list of 16 June 1916 (Reserve 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)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Brooke 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).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Brooke.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Brooke.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Brooke 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 Brooke volume
Scroll to Top