Brabston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Brabston was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Brabston family lived in the county of Kent. The family name originates in the Duchy of Brabant in Normandy, and it is from this place that the village and parish of Braborne takes its name. In Normandy, the name was associated with mercenary-style soldiering, and the family was renowned as a group of valiant fighters, particularly in William the Conqueror's army at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Early Origins of the Brabston family

The surname Brabston was first found in the counties of Kent where they arrived from the Duchy of Brabant and gave their name to the village and parish of Braborne in the shire. They were granted a manor and estates soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 by Duke William of Normandy. In William's army the Brabants were known by their distinctive name, the Great Warrior.

Early History of the Brabston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brabston research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1590 and 1654 are included under the topic Early Brabston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brabston Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Braborne, Brabant, Braban, Brabourne, Braband, Branantine and many more.

Early Notables of the Brabston family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Theophilius Babourne (b. 1590), English writer on the Sabbath question, a native of Norwich. "The date of his birth is fixed by his own statement in 1654: 'I...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brabston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brabston family to Ireland

Some of the Brabston family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brabston family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Brabston or a variant listed above: Alexander Brabant landed in the Somers Islands in 1635; but later transferred to Jamaica, and thence to the mainland. By 1651 he had settled in Boston Massachusetts where he now spelled his name Braband. Sarah Braban settled in Virginia in 1654.