| ![Show Contents]() Brench History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of BrenchWhat does the name Brench mean? The name Brench was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Brench family lived in the county of Westmorland (now part of Cumbria), where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the Norman Conquest. The surname Brench comes from the Old English word branche, which means branch. While it is unclear as to how this word came to be used as a surname, it may have been a topographical surname type, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Early Origins of the Brench familyThe surname Brench was first found in Westmorland where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. The family were from St. Denis de Branche, and the name Braunch appears on the Honour Roll of Battell Abbey of those companions of Duke William Normandy at Hastings. Early History of the Brench familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brench research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1169, 1238, 1331 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Brench History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Brench Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Brench have been found, including Branch, Branche, Braunche, Braunch and others. Early Notables of the Brench familyMore information is included under the topic Early Brench Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Brench migration to the United States | + |
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Brench were among those contributors:
Brench Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Israel Brench, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 1
- 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)
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