Most occurrences of the name are derived from a
nickname concerning the
complexion of an individual, the colour of their hair or the clothing worn. This nickname is derived from the
Old English brun,
brūn;
Middle English brun,
broun; or
Old French brun. Another of the earliest recorded Browns is John Brown of
Stamford, Lincolnshire in 1312. In Scotland,
The People of Medieval Scotland academic project surveys over 8600 extant records from between the years 1093 to 1314 and lists 26 Brouns and 14 Browns on its database. The name also originates independently in the United States, as an
Anglicization of other surnames, such as the German
Braun, or other surnames with similar meanings. The
Mac A Brehon clan of
County Donegal have anglicized as Brown or
Browne since about 1800. In
Scottish Gaelic, the name Brown is translated Mac-a-Bhruithainn (pronounced "mac-avroon") from the root word "Bruithainn", which is roughly pronounced "bro-an" and is similar to the word for judge (just as in the Irish). Its sound is very similar to the Scots surname Broun/Broon/Brown, which are all pronounced similarly. The German cognates are associated with the much more common Continental personal name
Bruno, which was borne by the
Dukes of Saxony, among others, from the Tenth century or before. It was also the name of several medieval German and Italian saints, such as Saint
Bruno of Cologne (1030–1101), founder of the
Carthusian Order. ==See also==