Brown (surname)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Brown (disambiguation).
Brown is one of the most common family names in English-speaking countries. According to the 1990 United States Census, Brown is the fifth most common family name in the United States at 0.621% of the sample population.[1]
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[edit] Etymology
The surname Brown is derived from the color brown. The word brown is of Middle English origin and is derived from the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) brūn. It is related to the Dutch bruin, the German braun, and the Old Norse brūnn.The surname Brown can also be traced back to persons with brown characteristics, such as brown eyes, brown hair, or often wearing brown attire[2]
[edit] Family Motto
The Brown Family motto, "Floreat Majestas", translates as Let Majesty Flourish. [3]
[edit] Notable people with the surname Brown
[edit] Activism
- H. Rap Brown, American civil rights activist
- John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American abolitionist
- John W. Brown (1867–1941), a Canadian-born labor leader in the United States
- Olympia Brown (1835–1926), American women's suffragist
[edit] Art and architecture
- Bob Brown (comics), comic book artist
- Capability Brown, English landscape gardener
- Ford Madox Brown (1821–1893), English painter
- Henry Kirke Brown (1814–1886), American sculptor
- John Brown (architect), a British architect in the 19th century
- John George Brown (1831–1913), American painter born Durham, UK
[edit] Business
- Bobbi Brown, makeup artist and entrepreneur
- Sir David Brown (entrepreneur) (1904–1993), British entrepreneur
- Howard Brown, spokesman for Halifax bank in the U.K.
[edit] Crime
- David P. Brown, convicted kidnapper and child sexual assaulter
- John A. Brown, Jr. (died 1997), an American murderer executed in Louisiana for the murder of Omer Laughlin
- John Ronald Brown, unlicensed United States sex-change operation surgeon
- Nixzmary Brown, American murder victim from Brooklyn, New York
[edit] Engineering, science, and medicine
- Alexander Crum Brown, Scottish chemist who devised the diagramatic system of representing chemical bonds
- Barnum Brown (1873–1963), American paleontologist
- Ernest William Brown (1866–1938), British mathematician and astronomer
- George H. Brown (1908–1987), American research engineer who developed color television
- G. Spencer-Brown (born 1923), British mathematician
- Harold P. Brown, inventor of the electric chair
- Herbert C. Brown, chemist
- John Brown (doctor) (1735–1788), a Scottish physician who developed his own medical system
- John Brown (physician) (1810–1882), a Scottish physician and essayist
- John Brown (professor), Scottish Royal Astronomer
- Sir John Brown (industrialist) (1816–1896), the inventor of a process for rolling armour-plate
- Michael E. Brown, astronomer
- Michael Stuart Brown (born 1941), American geneticist
- Moses Brown (1738–1836), American inventor
- Robert Brown (botanist) (1773–1858), botanist
- Robert Hanbury Brown (1916–2002), British astronomer and physicist
- Roger Brown (psychologist) American social psychologist
- Thomas Brown (engineer) (1772–1850) English surveyor, engineer, businessman, and landowner
- Thomas Brown (naturalist) (1785–1862), English naturalist
- Thomas Townsend Brown (1905–1985), American physicist
- William Brown (bridge designer) (1928–2005), British bridge designer
[edit] Fiction
- Brown family, hobbits who appear in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien
- Charlie Brown, cartoon character in Peanuts by Charles Schultz
- Doctor Emmett Brown, the "crazy, wild-eyed" scientist from the Back to the Future trilogy, played by Christopher Lloyd
- Father Brown, fictional detective created by G. K. Chesterton
- John Brown, protagonist of the 1999 film Inspector Gadget
- Lavender Brown, character in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling
- Rembrandt Brown Fictional character from the US TV show Sliders.
- Tom Brown (character), a fictional character in novels by Thomas Hughes and George MacDonald Fraser
- William Brown, fictional schoolboy character from Just William
[edit] Film, television, and theater
- A. Whitney Brown, American comedian
- Aaron Brown, American broadcast journalist
- Alton Brown, American TV chef
- Arnold Brown (comedian), Scottish comedian
- Barry Brown, (1951–1978), American actor
- Clarence Brown, American movie director
- David Brown (producer) (born 1916), American movie producer
- George Brown (Union official), president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes
- Harry Brown (journalist), Canadian radio and television host
- James Brown (TV personality) (born 1951), American television sports personality
- Joe Brown (judge) (born 1947), television judge on the Judge Joe Brown show
- Joe E. Brown (comedian) (1892–1973), American actor and comedian
- Robert Brown (actor) (1921–2003), British actor
- Robert Latham Brown, producer, production manager, and author
- Theo Wade Brown (1950–2002), British designer and eccentric, well-known member of the London special effects community
- Tom Brown (actor) (1913–1990), film and television actor
[edit] History, philosophy, and religion
- Arnold Brown (General of The Salvation Army) (1913–2002), 11th General of The Salvation Army
- George Brown (missionary) (1835–1917), English missionary to Fiji, Samoa
- John Brown (clergyman) (1784–1858), Scottish clergyman and writer
- John Brown (theologian) (1722–1787), Scottish clergyman and Biblical commentator
- John Brown (vicar) (died 1845), an eloquent British evangelical preacher and Vicar of St. Mary's Leicester
- Peter Brown (historian) (born 1935), Irish historian specializing in the period of Late Antiquity and study of the cult of saints
- Thomas Brown (philosopher) (1778–1820), Scottish philosopher
- William Brown (clergyman) (1766–1835), Scottish clergyman and hebraist
[edit] Literature
- Alice Brown (writer) (1856–1948), American novelist
- Bill Brown (critical theory), American author and professor of English at the University of Chicago
- Charles Brockden Brown, American novelist
- Dan Brown, American author
- Dee Brown (novelist), American novelist and historian
- Eric Brown, science fiction author
- Fredric Brown, science fiction and mystery author
- George Douglas Brown (1869–1902), Scottish novelist
- George Mackay Brown (1921–1996), Scottish poet, author, and dramatist
- Harry Brown (writer) (1917–1986), American screenwriter and novelist
- Helen Gurley Brown (born 1922), author, publisher, and businesswoman
- James Cooke Brown (1921–2000), sociologist
- John Brown (essayist) (1715–1766), English divine and author
- John Brown (fugitive slave) (c. 1810–1876), writer of Slave Life in Georgia: A Narrative of the Life, Sufferings and Escape of John Brown
- Norman O. Brown (1913–2002), American literary scholar
- Rita Mae Brown (born 1944), American writer and social activist
- Rosel George Brown (1926–1967), American science fiction author
- Thomas Edward Brown (1830–1897), Manx poet, scholar, and divine
- Tom Brown (naturalist) (born 1950), an American outdoorsman and nature writer
- Tom Brown (satirist) (1663(2?)–1704), English translator and satirist
- William Wells Brown (1814–1884), African American writer and abolitionist
[edit] Military
- George Brown (soldier) (1790–1865), British Army officer
- George Scratchley Brown (1918–1978), Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Harry Brown (VC) (1898–1917), Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Jacob Jennings Brown (1775–1828), U.S. Army officer in the War of 1812
- John Brown (spy), British POW and spy during the Second World War
- Peter Brown (VC) (1837–1894), Swedish recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Tom Brown (hero) (1705–1746), hero of the Battle of Dettingen
- William Brown (soldier) (18th century), American Revolutionary War soldier
- William Brown (admiral) (1777–1857), Irish-born Argentine Navy admiral
- William Brown (sailor), Black Scottish woman who served in the Royal Navy disguised as a man
[edit] Music
- Andy Brown (musician), a musician from Zimbabwe
- Arthur Brown, British rock and roll singer
- Bill Brown (composer) (born 1969), American composer
- Bobby Brown, American rhythm and blues singer
- Charles Brown (musician), American blues singer
- Clifford Brown, American jazz trumpeter
- David Brown (musician), American musician
- David Brown (Australian musician), Australian musician
- Dennis Brown, Jamaican reggae singer
- George Brown (musician) (born 1949), drummer for Kool & the Gang
- Harold Brown, member of the 1970s band War
- James Brown (musician) (born 1933), American soul and funk singer and bandleader
- Joe Brown (singer) (born 1941), British singer
- Julie Brown, American actress and singer
- Junior Brown, American country singer
- Les Brown, big band leader
- Lew Brown, American lyricist
- Melanie Brown, British singer
- Peter Brown (singer) (born 1953), singer, songwriter, and producer
- Robert E. Brown (1927–2005), American ethnomusicologist
- Rosemary Brown (spiritualist) (1916–2001), spirit medium and classical pianist
- Ruth Brown, American singer
- Steve Brown (bass player) (1890–1965), American jazz musician and string bass player from New Orleans
- Steve Brown (composer), British television composer
- Tom Brown (trombonist) (1888–1958), American jazz trombonist and bandleader
- Willie Brown (musician) (1900–1952), American delta blues guitarist and singer
[edit] Politics
[edit] Australia
- Bob Brown (born 1944), Australian politician
- Peter Nicholas Brown (1797–1846), first Colonial Secretary of Western Australia (1829–1846)
- Thomas Brown (Western Australian politician) (1803–1863), Australian pastoralist and politician
[edit] Canada
- Bill Brown (politician) (born 1973), Canadian city councillor at Dryden, Ontario
- George Brown (Canadian politician) (1818–1880), Scottish-born Canadian politician
- Rosemary Brown, Canadian politician
- William Brown (Manitoba politician), Canadian politician in Manitoba, 1922–1927
[edit] United Kingdom
- Ernest Brown, British politician
- Gordon Brown, British Labour politician
- George Brown, Baron George-Brown (1914–1985), British politician
- James Brown (politician) (1862–1939), Member of Parliament for Ayrshire, UK
- Robert Brown (English politician) (born 1921), English politician
- Robert Brown (Scottish politician) (born 1947), Scottish politician
[edit] United States
- Benjamin Gratz Brown, Governor of Missouri
- Charles Brown (California), candidate for Congress in Northern California
- George E. Brown, Jr., U.S. Representative from California
- Harold Brown (Secretary of Defense) (born 1927), American physicist
- Henry B. Brown (1836–1914), U.S. Supreme Court Justice
- Henry E. Brown, Jr. (born 1935), U.S. Representative from South Carolina
- James Brown (senator) (1766–1835), U.S. Senator from Louisiana
- James S. Brown (1824–1878), American mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and U.S. Representative from Wisconsin
- Jerry Brown, Governor of California from 1975–1983
- John Brown (Kentucky) (1757–1837), member of Continental Congress from Virginia
- John Brown (Maryland) (died 1815), United States representative from Maryland
- John Brown (North Carolina) (1737–1812), pioneer and statesman from North Carolina
- John Brown (Pennsylvania) (1772–1845), United States representative from Pennsylvania
- John Brown (Rhode Island) (1736–1803), United States representative from Rhode Island
- John Brewer Brown (1836–1898), United States representative from Maryland
- John C. Brown (1827–1889), Tennessee governor
- John Robert Brown (judge) (1909–1993), a member of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- John W. Brown (New York politician) (1796–1875), United States representative from New York
- John William Brown (1913–1993), Governor of Ohio for eleven days in 1957
- John Y. Brown, Sr. (1900–1985), United States Representative from Kentucky
- John Y. Brown, Jr. (born 1933), Kentucky governor
- Joseph E. Brown (1821–1894) American governor of Georgia
- Pat Brown, Governor of California from 1959–1967
- Thomas Brown (politician) (1785–1867), American politician
- Willie Brown (politician) (born 1934), African-American mayor of San Francisco
[edit] Other countries
- Peter Brown (politician) (born 1939), New Zealand First MP
- Peter Brown (South African politician) (1924–2004), founding member of the South African Liberal Party
[edit] Sports
- Bill Brown (cricketer) (born 1912), Australian cricketer
- Bill Brown (goalkeeper) (1931–2004), Scots/English goalkeeper
- Bill Brown (football) (born 1938), American football running back
- Bob Brown (footballer), football manager
- Bob Brown (NFL) (born 1941), American NFL football player
- Bob Brown (runner) (born 1969), British ultra-distance runner
- Bobby Brown (born 1969), American R&B singer
- Bobby Brown (baseball) (born 1924), American Major League Baseball player and American League president
- Bobby Brown (football), Scottish football player and manager
- Charles Wreford Brown, former captain of the England Soccer Team
- Cleveland Browns, a team in the National Football League
- David Brown (cricketer) (born 1942), English cricketer
- David Brown (golfer) (died 1930), Scottish golfer
- Dougie Brown, Scottish cricketer
- George Brown (cricketer) (1887–1964), English cricketer
- Gilbert Brown (born 1971), American NFL football defensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers
- Godfrey Brown (1915–1995), British runner
- Ike Brown (1942-2001), American baseball player
- Jackie Brown (boxer), Professional boxer
- Jammal Brown (born 1981), American NFL football left tackle for the New Orleans Saints
- James Brown (footballer) (born 1987), English footballer for Hartlepool United F.C.
- Jim Brown (baseball) (1860-1908), American baseball player
- Jim Brown (born 1936), American football player and film actor
- Joe Brown (climber) (born 1930), English climber
- Joe Brown (boxer) (1926–1997), American boxer
- John Brown (bridge expert), a contract bridge expert
- John Brown (footballer), football player for Rangers Football Club
- Larry Brown, professional basketball coach
- Marian Brown, part of the San Francisco Twins
- Martha Brown (born 1900), American figure skater
- Mordecai Brown ("Three Fingers"), pitcher in Major League Baseball
- Nathan D. Brown (born 1976), Australian rules footballer
- Nathan G. Brown (born 1978), Australian rules footballer
- Paul Brown, American football coach
- Peter Brown (rugby player) (born 1941), Scottish rugby player
- Phil Brown (footballer) (born 1959), English football player and manager of Derby County F.C.
- Phil Brown (1966 footballer) (born 1966), English football player and manager of Matlock Town F.C.
- Sean Brown, professional ice hockey player
- Shannon Brown (born 1985), American basketball player
- Steve Brown (footballer) (born 1966), English footballer
- Tom Brown (19th-century baseball player) (1860–1927), Liverpool-born American baseball player and manager
- Tom Brown (tennis player) (born 1921), a fine amateur tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s
- Tommy Brown (born 1927), American Major League Baseball infielder
- Willie Brown (football player) (born 1940), American football Hall-of-Fame cornerback
- Vivian Brown, part of the San Francisco Twins
[edit] Other fields
- Arthur Whitten Brown (1886–1948), Scottish aviator
- David M. Brown (1956–2003), American astronaut
- Derren Brown, British magician and psychological illusionist
- Henry Box Brown (born 1815), slave who had himself mailed in a box to freedom
- John Brown (servant) (1826–1883), Scottish servant of Queen Victoria
- Margaret Brown (1867–1932), American socialite and philanthropist, Titanic survivor, also known as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"
- mrbrown, a prominent Singaporean blogger
- Robert A. Brown, President of Boston University
[edit] References
- ^ Frequently Occurring First Names and Surnames From the 1990 Census
- ^ Brown. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1), Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Brown (accessed: October 18, 2006).
- ^ http://www.scotsconnection.com/clan_crests/Brown.htm.
