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Family name origins & meanings
- German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) : nickname from German braun ‘brown’ (Middle High German brūn), referring to the color of the hair, complexion, or clothing, or from the personal name Bruno, which was borne by the Dukes of Saxony, among others, from the 10th century or before. It was also the name of several medieval German and Italian saints, including St. Bruno, the founder of the Carthusian order (1030–1101), who was born in Cologne.