Brunson
A surname that usually means “son of Brun” or “son of Brown,” pointing to an ancestor known for brown hair, coloring, or complexion.
The #2,115 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,056 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Brunson is a patronymic surname built from the old personal name Brun plus the English suffix -son, meaning “son of Brun.” Brun itself was a medieval given name, derived from a word meaning “brown” and originally used as a nickname for someone with brown hair, a brown beard, or a dark complexion. In some cases the name may also overlap with the wider Brown/Broun naming tradition in medieval England and Scandinavia.
History
The surname appears in English-language naming patterns and would originally have marked descent from a man called Brun. Over time, such patronymics became fixed hereditary surnames and spread through Britain and later to North America. In the United States, Brunson is relatively uncommon but well established, especially in southern states.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because brun means “brown” in several Germanic languages, Brunson belongs to a large family of surnames ultimately linked to the same color-word root as Brown and Braun.