Branham
A surname that likely began as a place name or a nickname built from an old English word for grain or bran.
The #2,599 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 22,257 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Branham is most likely English in form, but its exact origin is not certain. It is often explained as a habitational surname from a lost or altered place name, or as a name related to Middle English bran, meaning the outer husk of grain, combined with a place-name element such as ham, meaning farm or settlement. Because the early forms are not firmly documented in the standard reference works, the surname should be treated as probably English but not securely fixed to one single source word.
History
The surname is found in English-speaking countries, especially the United States, where it appears in several regional family lines. In North America it may also reflect spelling variation from similar names such as Branam or Brannam, which can blur the line between one family surname and another. The name is comparatively uncommon, which makes a single definitive origin harder to prove from surname frequency alone.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Branham is uncommon and its early record is not clearly pinned down, even experienced surname references tend to treat its origin cautiously rather than definitively.