Bruin

See also: bruin and bruín

English

Etymology 1

From Dutch bruin (“brown”), used as a name for the bear in Reynard the Fox.

Proper noun

Bruin

1. (literary) A bear character in fairy stories, etc., especially when anthropomorphised.
   • 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 112:

     When he had driven some distance he met a pedlar. "Where is the sheriff off to, to-day?" said the pedlar; "he must have a long way and little time, since he is driving so fast." But Bruin did not say a word, for he had more than enough to do to hold on.

Etymology 2

• As a Dutch surname, borrowed from Dutch Bruin, from the adjective bruin (“brown”). Compare Braun.
• As an English surname, possibly a pronunciation of the French surname Brun, from the adjective brun (“brown”), related to above.
• As an Alemannic German surname, variant of Bruhin.

Proper noun

Bruin (countable and uncountable, plural Bruins)

1. A surname from Dutch.
2. An unincorporated community in Elliott County, Kentucky, United States.
3. A borough of Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Bruin is the 38484^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 575 individuals. Bruin is most common among White (84.87%) and Black/African American (13.57%) individuals.

Further reading

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Bruin”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 1, New York City: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 238.

Anagrams

• Bruni, Burin, Rubin, burin, rub in, rubin