Brooks (surname)
The word brook derives from the Old English broc and appears in the Medieval predecessors of Brooks. The surname arrived in North America from England in the mid-seventeenth century.
The surname Brooks is recorded in Ireland from the 1600s. O'Laughlin reports that "some of the name could stem from Irish origins, the name being changed into the English word 'Brook' or Brooks." The surname is also found among English-speaking Ashkenazi Jews, deriving from the male Hebrew given name Boruch.
A
- A. Brooks (Middlesex cricketer), English cricketer
- Aaron Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Abraham Brooks, English cricketer
- Adam Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Adrian Brooks, English soccer player
- Ahmad Brooks, American football player
- Ahmad D. Brooks, American football player and sports broadcaster
- Aimee Brooks, American actress
- Albert Brooks, American actor, comedian, and director
- Alden Brooks, American writer
- Alex Brooks, American ice hockey player
- Alexandra Brooks, English footballer
- Alfred Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Alison Brooks, Canadian architect
- Allan Brooks, Canadian ornithologist and bird artist
- Allette Brooks, American folk singer
- Allison Brooks, American aviator
- Alvin Brooks (basketball, born 1959), American basketball coach
- Alvin Brooks III, American basketball coach
- Amanda Brooks, American actress
- Amber Brooks, American soccer player
- Ameal Brooks, American baseball player
- Andy Brooks, British Communist leader
- Angel Brooks, character on the Australian soap opera Home and Away
- Angela Brooks, American architect, partner in Brooks + Scarpa
- Angelle Brooks, American actress
- Angie Brooks, Liberian diplomat and jurist
- Annabel Brooks, British actress
- Anne Brooks, American physician and nun
- Anne Rose Brooks, American actress
- Anthony Brooks, British undercover agent
- Anthony Michael Brooks, American speedcuber
- Antoine Brooks, American football player
- April Brooks, real name of wrestler AJ Lee
- Archie Brooks, fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale
- Art Brooks, see Arthur Brooks (disambiguation)
- Arthur Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Audrey Brooks, British botanist
- Avery Brooks, American actor
B
- Barney Brooks, American physician
- Barrett Brooks, American football player
- Barry Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Beau Brooks, member of The Janoskians
- Ben Brooks, see Benjamin Brooks (disambiguation)
- Benjamin Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Berry Boswell Brooks, American cotton broker and big-game hunter
- Bert Brooks, Canadian race car driver
- Beverley Brooks, stage name of British actress Pamela Harmsworth, Viscountess Rothermere
- Bill Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Billy Brooks, American football player
- Bob or Bobby Brooks, see Robert Brooks (disambiguation)
- Bonnie Brooks, Canadian department store executive
- Bradley Brooks, darts player
- Brandon Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Brendan Brooks, Canadian ice hockey player
- British Brooks, American football player
- Brittany Brooks, American musician
- Bruce Brooks, American author
- Bryant Butler Brooks, American politician
- Bubba Brooks, American saxophonist
- Bucky Brooks, American sportswriter
- Bud Brooks, American football player
C
- Caroline Shawk Brooks, American sculptor
- Cat Brooks, American activist
- Cecil Brooks III, American jazz drummer
- Cecil Joslin Brooks, British metallurgical chemist and naturalist
- Cedric Brooks, Jamaican saxophonist and flautist
- Chandler McCuskey Brooks, American physiologist
- Charles Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Charlie Brooks, Welsh actress
- Charlie Brooks (racehorse trainer), British racehorse trainer
- Charlotte Brooks, American photojournalist
- Charmaine Brooks, Canadian singer-songwriter
- Chase Brooks, American soccer player and coach
- Cherryl Brooks, fictional character from Atlas Shrugged
- Chet Brooks, American football player
- Chris Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Clifford Cleveland Brooks, American politician
- Cindy Brooks (model), American model and actress
- Cindy Brooks (rower), American rower
- Claire Brooks, British politician
- Cleanth Brooks, American literary critic
- Clifford Brooks, American football player
- Clive Brooks, English drummer
- Coby G. Brooks, American businessman
- Colin Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Collin Brooks, British journalist, writer and broadcaster
- Conrad Brooks, American actor
- Corey Brooks, American politician
- Corrin Brooks-Meade, English-born Montserratian footballer
- Curtis Brooks, American football player
- Constance "Connie" Brooks, fictional English language teacher
D
- D. W. Brooks, American farmer and businessman
- Dallas Brooks, Australian general and politician
- Dalton Brooks, American football player
- Daniel Brooks, American clothier, one of the Brooks Brothers
- Daniel Brooks, Canadian theatre director, actor and playwright
- Danny Brooks, Canadian blues musician
- Darin Brooks, American actor
- Darren Brooks, American basketball player
- David Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Dean Brooks, American physician and actor
- Deanna Brooks, American model
- Delray Brooks, American basketball player and coach
- De'Mon Brooks,, American basketball player
- Derreck Brooks, American basketball player
- Derrick Brooks, American football player
- Derrius Brooks, American football player
- Desley Brooks, American politician
- Dianne Brooks, American jazz singer
- Dick or Dickie Brooks, see Richard Brooks (disambiguation)
- Dillon Brooks, Canadian basketball player
- Dolores "LaLa" Brooks, member of girl group The Crystals
- Don Frank Brooks, American blues harmonica player
- Donald Brooks, American fashion designer
- Donnie Brooks, American pop music singer
- Douglas Jackson Brooks, American country music singer, known as Doug Stone
- Dudley Brooks, American jazz pianist
- Durant Brooks, American football player
- Dustin Brooks, from Power Rangers Ninja Storm
- Dustin Brooks, from Zoey 101
- Duwayne Brooks, English politician
E
- Earl Brooks, American race car driver
- Earl Brooks, title character of the film Mr. Brooks
- Ed Brooks, see Edward Brooks (disambiguation)
- Edgar Brooks, English rugby league footballer
- Edmund Wright Brooks, English Quaker philanthropist and cement maker
- Edward Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Edwin Brooks, British-Australian politician and academic
- Edwin B. Brooks, American politician
- Edwy Searles Brooks, British novelist
- Elbridge Streeter Brooks, American author, editor and critic
- Elisabeth Brooks, Canadian actress
- Elisha Brooks, American clothier, one of the Brooks Brothers
- Elizabeth Carter Brooks, American architect, educator and social activist
- Elkie Brooks, British singer
- Ellen Brooks, American photographer
- Elmore Brooks, American blues guitarist, better known as Elmore James
- Erastus Brooks, New York newspaper editor and politician
- Eric Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Ernest Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Errol Brooks, Antiguan bishop
- Ethan Brooks, American football player
- Eugene C. Brooks, American educator
F
- Farmer Brooks, Canadian wrestler
- Foster Brooks, American comedian
- Francis Gerard Brooks, Northern Ireland Roman Catholic bishop
- Francis K. Brooks, American educator and Vermont Democratic politician
- Frank Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Frank Leonard Brooks, Canadian artist
- Frankie Brooks, fictional character in the Australian soap opera Home and Away
- Franklin E. Brooks, American Republican politician
- Frederick Brooks (disambiguation), also includes Fred and Freddie Brooks
G
- Gabriel Brooks, English calligrapher
- Gabrielle Brooks, English actress
- Gareth Brooks, New Zealand field hockey player
- Garrison Brooks, American basketball player
- Garth Brooks, American country musician
- Gary Brooks, Jamaican football player
- Gene Edward Brooks, American judge
- George Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Georgia Brooks, fictional character from the soap opera Neighbours
- Gerald Brooks, Belizean bishop
- Geraldine Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Glenn Brooks, Canadian politician
- Golden Brooks, American actress
- Gordon Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Greg Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Gregory Brooks, American poker player
- Guy Brooks, American fiddle player
- Gwendolyn Brooks,, American poet
H
- H. Allen Brooks, American architectural historian
- H. H. Brooks, co-founder of the Herff-Brooks Corporation
- Hadda Brooks, American pianist
- Halbert W. Brooks, American politician
- Hannibal Brooks, fictional character from the film of the same name
- Harold Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Harriet Brooks, Canadian physicist
- Harry Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Harvey Brooks (bassist), American bassist
- Harvey Brooks (physicist), American physicist
- Harvey Oliver Brooks, American pianist and composer
- Hazel Brooks, American actress
- Helen Brooks, pseudonym of British novelist Rita Bradshaw
- Hellen M. Brooks, American educator and politician
- Henderson Brooks, Indian general, co-author of the Henderson Brooks–Bhagat Report
- Henry Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Herb Brooks, American ice hockey coach
- Hillery Brooks, American planter, for whom Brooks, Georgia, was named
- Holly Brooks, American skier
- Holly Brooks, fictional character on the TV show Malcolm & Eddie
- Horace Brooks, American army officer
- Horatio G. Brooks, American rail engineer
- Hubert Brooks, Canadian air force officer and hockey player
- Hubie Brooks, American baseball player
I
- Ian James Brooks, New Zealand politician
- Irvin Brooks, American baseball player
J
- J. Stewart Brooks, Canadian politician
- J. Twing Brooks, American politician
- Jack Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Ja'Corey Brooks, American football player
- Jade Brooks, Canadian author and activist
- Jai Brooks, member of Australian group The Janoskians
- Jalen Brooks, American football player
- Jamal Brooks, American football player
- James Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- James L. Brooks, American film and television director, producer and screenwriter
- Jamie Brooks, English football player
- Janice Young Brooks, birth name of American mystery writer Jill Churchill
- Jarred Brooks, American mixed martial artist
- Jason Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Jean Brooks, American actress
- Jeff Brooks, American-Italian basketball player
- Jeffrey Brooks, American composer
- Jehiel Brooks, American soldier and politician
- Jeremy Brooks, British writer
- Jerry Brooks, American baseball player
- Jess Lee Brooks, American actor
- Jessica Brooks, English actress
- Jim or Jimmy Brooks, see James Brooks (disambiguation)
- Joanna Brooks, American author and professor
- Jody Brooks, American country music singer, better known as Jody Miller
- Joe Brooks, see Joseph Brooks (disambiguation)
- Joel Brooks, American actor
- John Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- John J. Brooks, American lawman
- Johnny Brooks, English footballer
- Jon Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Jordyn Brooks, American football player
- Joseph Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Joshua Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Josh Brooks, College athletic director
- Josie Brooks, fictional character from the British soap opera Brookside
- Juanita Brooks, American writer
- Julia Evangeline Brooks, American educator
- Justin Brooks, American attorney
K
- Karen Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Karl Brooks, American football player
- Kate Brooks, American photojournalist
- Kate Brooks (astronomer), Australian astronomer
- Katherine Brooks, American film writer and director
- Keion Brooks Jr., American basketball player
- Kendra Brooks, American politician
- Kennedy Brooks, American football player
- Kenny Brooks, American basketball coach
- Kevin Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Kimberly Brooks, American actress
- Kix Brooks, American country musician, Brooks & Dunn
- Koleen Brooks, American politician and model
- K. S. Brooks, American writer and photographer
L
- Lance Brooks, American discus thrower
- Larry Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Lawrence Brooks, American singer and actor
- Lawrence Brooks (American veteran)
- Lee Brooks, American composer
- Lela Brooks, Canadian skater
- Leo Brooks (American football), American football player
- Leo A. Brooks Jr., American general
- Leo A. Brooks Sr., American general
- Leslie Brooks, American actress
- Lexie Brooks, fictional character on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives
- Linton Brooks, American diplomat
- Linus Brooks, early settler in Brooks, Oregon
- Lleyton Brooks, Australian footballer
- Lonnie Brooks, American blues musician
- Lorie Brooks, fictional character on the soap opera The Young and the Restless
- Louise Brooks, American actress and dancer
- Louise Cromwell Brooks, American socialite
- Louise Susannah Brooks, fictional character from the British sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps
- Lucy Ann Brooks, English temperance advocate
- Luke Brooks, Australian rugby player
- Luke Brooks (singer), member of the Australian group The Janoskians
- Lyall Brooks, Australian actor
- Lydia Brooks, Labradorian diarist, better known by her married name, Lydia Campbell
- Lyman Brooks, American educator
M
- Macey Brooks, American football player
- Malcolm Brooks, Australian politician
- Mandy Brooks, American baseball player
- Maria Gowen Brooks, American poet
- Marion E. Brooks, American environmentalist, for whom Marion Brooks Natural Area was named
- Mark Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Marshall Brooks, British sportsman
- MarShon Brooks, American basketball player
- Martha Brooks, Canadian writer
- Martin E. Brooks, American actor
- Marva Jean Brooks, Muddy Waters's wife
- Mary Brooks, director of the U.S. Mint
- Mason Brooks, American football player
- Matilda Moldenhauer Brooks, American botanist
- Maurice Brooks, American naturalist
- Max Brooks, American novelist
- Max Brooks (politician), American politician from Colorado
- McKenna Brooks, fictional character from American Girl
- Mehcad Brooks, American actor
- Mel Brooks, American comic actor, writer, director, and theatrical producer
- Meredith Brooks, American musician
- Merv Brooks, Australian football player
- Micah Brooks, American politician
- Michael Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Michele Brooks, American politician
- Mike Brooks, see Michael Brooks (disambiguation)
- Milton Brooks, American photographer
- Mo Brooks, American politician
- Morgan Brooks, American engineer
- Myra Brooks Turner, American composer, educator, and writer
N
- Nan Brooks, American illustrator
- Nate Brooks (American football), American football player
- Nathan Eugene Brooks, American boxer
- Nathan C. Brooks, American educator
- Natrone Brooks, American football player
- Ned Brooks, American broadcaster
- Neil Brooks, Australian swimmer
- Nicole Paige Brooks, contestant on American reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race
- Nigel Brooks, English composer
- Noah Brooks, American journalist
- Noel Edgell Brooks, Canadian railway engineer, for whom Brooks, Alberta, was named
- Nona L. Brooks, American minister
- Norman Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Nysier Brooks, American basketball player
O
- Oland J. Brooks, American financier, founder of Brooks Steam Motors
- Oliver Brooks, British soldier
- Oswald Brooks, Jamaican trumpet player
- Overton Brooks, American politician
P
- Pamela Brooks, British writer
- Patricia Brooks, American opera singer
- Pattie Brooks, American singer
- Patty Brooks, fictional character in the American TV show 24
- Paul Brooks, British film producer
- Paul Brooks (author), American nature writer and editor
- Paul Brooks (cricketer), English cricketer
- Paula Brooks, DC Comics supervillain
- Paula Brooks (politician), American politician
- Perry Brooks, American football player
- Peter Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Philip Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Phillips Brooks, American Episcopalian bishop and writer
- Phyllis Brooks, American actress and model
- Preston Brooks, American politician
- Priest Joseph Brooks, American hip hop producer and rapper, known by the stage name Soopafly
Q
- Quincy Brooks IV, American rapper, known by the stage name San Quinn
R
- R. L. Brooks, American singer-guitarist in the band Flee the Seen
- R. Leonard Brooks, British mathematician
- Ralph D. Brooks, Colorado School of Mines benefactor, for whom Brooks Field was named
- Ralph G. Brooks, American politician
- Ramy Brooks, American dog racer
- Rand Brooks, American actor
- Randi Brooks, American Actress
- Randy Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Ray Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Rayshard Brooks, American shot dead by police in Atlanta
- Rebekah Brooks, British journalist
- Reggie Brooks, American football player
- Reva Brooks, Canadian photographer
- Rich Brooks, see Richard Brooks (disambiguation)
- Richard Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Rob Brooks, American ice hockey team owner
- Robert Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Robin Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Rodney Brooks, director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
- Rodregis Brooks, American football player
- Romaine Brooks, American painter
- Ron Brooks, American football player
- Ron Brooks, American rapper, known by the stage name Money-B
- Ronnie Brooks (Law & Order: UK), fictional character from Law & Order: UK
- Ronnie Baker Brooks, American blues guitarist
- Rory and Elizabeth Brooks, British philanthropists after whom the Brooks World Poverty Institute was named
- Rosa Brooks, American law professor
- Ross Brooks, Canadian ice hockey player
- Roy Brooks, American jazz drummer
- Ruby Brooks, American banjoist
- Rusty Brooks, American wrestler
- Ryan Brooks American basketball player
S
- Sacha Brooks, British DJ
- Samuel Brooks (disambiguation), including Sam and Sammy, multiple people
- Scott Brooks, American basketball player
- Scott Martin Brooks, American actor
- Shanon Brooks, American university president
- Shamarh Brooks, Barbadian cricketer
- Sharon Sanders Brooks, American politician from Missouri
- Shauna Brooks (actress), American actress and artist
- Shaundelle Brooks, American politician from Tennessee
- Sheila Brooks, American journalist
- Sheldon Brooks, American businessman, physician, and politician
- Shelton Brooks, American popular music composer
- Shepher Brooks, owner of the Shepherd Brooks Estate
- Sheri-Ann Brooks, Jamaican sprinter
- Shirley Brooks, English journalist and novelist
- Shirley Brooks, plaintiff/appellee in Flagg Brothers, Inc. v. Brooks
- Sidney Johnson Brooks Jr., American aviator for whom Brooks Air Force Base was named
- Sierra Brooks (gymnast), American gymnast
- Simon Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Siobhan Brooks, American sociologist and activist
- Stacy Brooks, public critic of the Church of Scientology
- Stan Brooks (radio broadcaster), American radio broadcaster
- Stanley Brooks, American film and television producer
- Stella Brooks, American jazz vocalist
- Stennett H. Brooks, American pastor
- Stephen Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Steve Brooks, see Stephen Brooks (disambiguation)
- Stratton D. Brooks, American educator
- Stuart M. Brooks, American pulmonary doctor
- Sue Brooks, Australian film director and producer
- Susan Brooks, American politician
- Susan Brooks, plaintiff in Brooks v. Canada Safeway Ltd.
- Sydney Brooks, British author and critic
- Sylvia Brooks, American jazz musician
T
- Tamara Brooks, American choral conductor
- Ted Brooks, English cricketer
- Terrance Brooks, American football player and coach
- Terrence Brooks, American football player
- Terron Brooks, American singer and actor
- Terry Brooks, American author
- Terry Brooks (basketball), American basketball player
- Theodore Marley Brooks, fictional character from Doc Savage
- Thomas Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Tia Brooks, American shot putter
- Tiffany Brooks (baseball), American baseball player
- Tim Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Timothy L. Brooks, American attorney
- Tina Brooks, American jazz saxophonist
- Tom or Tommy Brooks, see Thomas Brooks (disambiguation)
- Tony Brooks (racing driver), British racing driver
- Tony Brooks (American football), American football player
- Tracey Brooks, American politician
- Traci Brooks, Canadian wrestler
- Travis Brooks, Australian field hockey player
- Trenton Brooks, American baseball player
- Trevor Brooks, British alleged terrorist, also known as Abu Izzadeen
V
- Van Wyck Brooks, American writer
- Vaushaun Brooks, American hip hop record producer, known by the stage name Maestro
- Vic Brooks, English cricketer
- Victor Brooks (actor), English actor
- Victor Brooks (athlete), Jamaican long jumper
- Vincent Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
W
- Wallis Brooks, American politician
- Walter Brooks (organist), English organist
- Walter Brooks (British Army officer), English cricketer and British Army officer
- Walter R. Brooks, American children's writer
- Wayne Baker Brooks, American blues musician
- Wiley Brooks, founder of the Breatharian Institute of America
- Wilks Brooks, owner of the Wilks Brooks House
- Will Brooks, American mixed martial artist
- William Brooks (disambiguation), multiple people
- Wyndham Brooks, pen name of American horror author Wayne Robbins
Z
- Zoey Brooks, title character of the American TV show ''Zoey 101''
Compound surnames
- Harold Brooks-Baker, American journalist
- Ruth Brooks Flippen, American screenwriter
- Reginald Brooks-King, Welsh archer
- Corrin Brooks-Meade, English footballer
- Renel Brooks-Moon, American public address announcer
- Ellenese Brooks-Simms, Louisiana school official
- John Brooks Close-Brooks, English banker and amateur rower, who competed as John Brooks Close
- Caroline St John-Brooks, British journalist and academic
- Birnie Stephenson-Brooks, Guayanese judge