An English surname, Branch comes from the Latin term ‘branca’ which meant a foot or paw. The Old English term of ‘branche’ refers to a tree branch or a portion. The spelling variations for Branch include Braunch and Braunche. The French spelling of Branch is Labranche. The German spelling is Zweig and the Finnish language spells it Oksa and Haara. In England the earliest Branch families live in Westmorland region. Most resettled and remained in the southern regions, especially in the city of London, Middlesex, Essex, Somerset and Devon counties. They are live in Glamorgan, Wales. In Scotland very few individuals have the Branch surname. Those who are Branch live mostly in Midlothian and Aberdeenshire. Within the United States most Branch families lived in the eastern portion of the country. The highest populations resided in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas. Famous: Michelle Branch (singer and musician), William Blackwell Branch (movie director and playwright), Cliff Branch (professional football player), Lawrence O’Bryan Branch (Civil War Confederate General from North Carolina), Vanessa Branch (model and actress from England) and Graham Branch (professional footballer from England).