In Croatia, Brnja families are generally Croats (from Rijeka area ), very rarely Slovaks (from Ilok ). In the past century, relatively most of Croatian residents bearing this family name were born in Rijeka and in Rijeka area.
Prevalence
About 30 people with faimily name Brnja live in Croatia today, in 16 households. There were 20 of them in the middle of the past century, and their number increased by 70 percent. They are located in four Croatian counties, four cities and 7 other places, mostly in Podhum (15) and Cavle (<10) in Rijeka area, Split (<5), Ilok (<5), and in Rijeka (<5).
Outside Croatia
Family name Brnja (including: Bernia , Bernya ) is present in 20 countries worldwide.
In the sources analysed in the project Acta Croatica so far, the name is mentioned few times, the first time 1902 in source Hartmann's General List of Apartments in Zagreb.