Do lots of people get easy bruising, or is it unusual?

It can be unusual: Many people feel they bruise easily, but in fact are simply noticing bruising more than usual. If there is indeed excessive bruising from minimal trauma, or bruising in an usual area, then that could be a sign of an underlying disorder, which is unusual.

Quite a few: People on anticoagulant medication/blood thinners, i.e. Following coronary or deep vein thrombosis are quite prone to easy bruising. Patients with thrombocytopenia (low blood platelet count) idiopathic or following chemotherapy are prone. Naturally patients with hemophilia or von willebrand's disease, where blood coagulation is impaired are prone. Also subjects with fragile skin capillaries.

Very common: Many people will complain that they bruise easily. This complaint seems to be particularly common in women. Bruising easily is generally not a worry as long as the bruises go away in a normal amount of time (typically within 2-3 weeks unless it is a very large bruise). The time to worry is when you have a bruise that just doesn't go away.