Bretz is a German surname of toponymic origin, indicating a person from the town of Breetz in Brandenburg, Germany. The etymology of the town's name is uncertain, though it may derive from a Slavic or Old German root. The surname is most commonly found in Germany and among German-speaking communities, but it has also been carried by emigrants to other countries, particularly the United States.
Notable bearers of the surname include John Bretz (born 1934), an American physicist known for his work in plasma physics, and David Bretz (born 1948), an American musician and member of the band The Youngbloods. The surname has a strong presence in the United States, where it ranked as the 8,867th most common surname in the 2010 United States Census, with 3,693 bearers, 93.01% of whom identified as White.
- Meaning: Person from Breetz in Brandenburg, Germany
- Origin: German
- Type: Toponymic surname
- Regions of highest frequency: Germany, United States