What is browne name origin?

The surname Browne has English and Irish origin. It is generally derived from the Old English word "brun" or "brown," meaning someone with brown hair, complexion, or clothing. It was a common nickname given to people with the physical characteristics mentioned above. The surname Browne can also be an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name Ó Brúin, which means "descendant of Bruin." Bruin was a personal name that originated from a Norse word meaning bear. The first recorded use of the Browne surname was in 1194 when a Walter le Brun was documented in the Pipe Rolls of Devonshire, England. The name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and colonization.