Brecht History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Brecht

What does the name Brecht mean?

Similar to many Austrian family names, the distinguished surname Brecht is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Austria were the patronymic surnames, a type of name derived from the given name of the bearer's father, and metronymic surnames, derived from the given name of the bearer's mother. Patronyms are derived from a variety of given names of many different origins.

Early Origins of the Brecht family

The surname Brecht was first found in Austria, where the name became noted for its many branches within the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the family became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Early History of the Brecht family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brecht research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1858 is included under the topic Early Brecht History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brecht Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Brecht include Brecht, Brechte, Brechter, Breck, Breckt, Breckte and others.

Early Notables of the Brecht family

More information is included under the topic Early Brecht Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brecht Ranking

In the United States, the name Brecht is the 12,470^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Brecht migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Brecht or a variant listed above:

Brecht Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mrs. Brecht, who settled in Pennsylvania with two sons in 1726-27
Mrs. Brecht, who arrived in America in 1726 2
Johann Brecht, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1726 2
Mrs. Johann Brecht, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1726 2
Johann Michael Brecht, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1726 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brecht Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Victor Brecht, who arrived in Texas in 1845 2
F. Brecht, who settled in Texas in 1853
Albert Brecht, aged 28, who landed in New York in 1854 2
Jakob Brecht, who landed in North America in 1857 2
Johannes Brecht, aged 13, who arrived in New York, NY in 1875 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brecht migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Brecht Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Georg Brecht, who settled in Canada in 1783 with the United Empire Loyalists

Contemporary Notables of the name Brecht (post 1700) +

Stefan Brecht (1924-2009), German-born American poet, critic, and scholar of theater
George Brecht (1926-2008), American conceptual artist
Kurt Brecht (b. 1961), American vocalist and author
John C. Brecht, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 19th District, 1944; Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1956 3
Arnold Brecht (1884-1977), German jurist and one of the leading government officials in the Weimar Republic
Jürgen Brecht (b. 1940), German Olympic fencer
Martin Brecht (b. 1932), German Church historian, professor emeritus in the Department of Medieval and Modern Church History at the University of Münster, Westphalia, Germany
Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956), German dramatist, playwright, poet and lyricist
Mr. Malcolm Andrew John Brecht C.B., C.B.E., British Air Vice-Marshal for the Royal Air Force was appointed Companion of the Order of Bath on 17th June 2017

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html