Brokaw
A surname with likely Dutch roots, probably from a place-name or older family name brought to North America by Dutch-speaking settlers.
The #9,237 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 87,637 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Brokaw is generally treated as a surname of Dutch origin, probably developed from a place-name or a habitational form rather than from an English occupational word. The first element is often linked to Dutch brok, meaning a broken piece, marshy patch, or rough ground in older place-name usage, though the exact source is uncertain. As with many Dutch-American surnames, the modern spelling may have been reshaped after migration and record-keeping in English-speaking countries.
History
The surname appears most often in the United States, especially among families descended from Dutch or Germanic immigrant stock. Like many surnames of this type, it likely became fixed in North America in the colonial or post-colonial period, with spelling variation increasing as English-language clerks recorded unfamiliar names. The modern form Brokaw is established enough to function as a stable family name, though its earliest documentary trail is not always clear.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name is uncommon enough that many bearers trace it through a relatively small number of family lines, which can make genealogical research especially rewarding.