Brauweiler lies in the southern Hunsrück at an elevation of 323 m above sea level in the western Soonwald foothills above the Kellenbach and the municipality of Simmertal.

The village’s boundary alignment within the Amt of Koppenstein often led to disagreements with the Waldgraves and Rhinegraves, who had their seat at Dhaun, because territorial and judicial rights were not altogether clearly defined.

Brauweiler remained until the end of feudal times a part of the Amt of Koppenstein, which was subject to the Badish Oberamt of Kirchberg.

[3][4] The municipality's name appeared in 1380 as Pruwilre and goes back to the base form Brunen-wilre, which can be interpreted as meaning “Bruno’s Estate”.

[8] The German blazon reads: Schild geteilt, oben in Schwarz eine goldene Gewandfibel, unten blau-golden geschacht.

The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Per fess enhanced sable a clothing fibula Or and chequy of twelve azure and Or.

After consent by the state archive, the Ministry of the Interior in Mainz granted approval for Brauweiler to bear its own arms on 7 December 1977.