Breton
A surname for someone from Brittany, the Celtic region in northwest France.
The #7,682 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,436 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Breton is an ethnic surname meaning “a Breton” or “native of Brittany.” It comes through Old French le Breton, ultimately from Latin Britto, Britto(nem), used for a person from Brittany. In medieval records it appears both as a nickname and as a label for migrants from that region.
History
The name is well attested in medieval English records, where it could mark an immigrant from Brittany or a family identified with Breton origin. It also appears in France, where it is a common surname. Related English forms include Brett and Britton, which share the same basic meaning.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Medieval English records preserve the form Le Breton, literally “the Breton,” showing how directly many surnames began as labels for newcomers.
From the historical record
“temp. William Eufus. BRETON. Le Breton In the H.R. A Breton, a native of Brittany. The name is common in France. Sec Brett. BRETT. Brito, a native of Brittany. The parish of Samford Bi-ett, co. Somerset, was the lordship of Hugh Brito, one of the assassins of Thomas a Becket. Domesday Book abounds with Brito as a…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom