Show ContentsBrackenbury History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Brackenbury is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in Lincolnshire, where they derived their name from Brackenbury, a parish near Louth.

Early Origins of the Brackenbury family

The surname Brackenbury was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat, some say well before the invasion of Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Brackenbury family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brackenbury research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1300 and 1485 are included under the topic Early Brackenbury History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brackenbury Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Brackenbury were recorded, including Brackenbury, Brackenborough, Brackenberry and others.

Early Notables of the Brackenbury family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Anthony Brackenbury of Thorpe Hall


United States Brackenbury migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Brackenbury family emigrate to North America:

Brackenbury Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Brackenbury, who settled in Salem Massachusetts about 1628
  • Richard Brackenbury and his brother William settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1628
  • William Brackenbury, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1628 1
  • Richard Brackenbury, who landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1634 1
  • John Brackenbury, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1657 1
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Brackenbury (post 1700) +

  • Joseph Brackenbury (1788-1864), English poet, born in 1788 at Langton, probably Lincolnshire 2
  • General Sir Henry Brackenbury (1837-1914), English general and assistant to Garnet Wolseley
  • Alison Brackenbury (b. 1953), English poet, awarded the Eric Gregory Award, Poetry Book Society Recommendation and the 1997 Cholmondeley Award
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edward Brackenbury (1785-1864), British soldier, a direct descendant from Sir Robert Brackenbury, lieutenant of the Tower of London in the time of Richard III 2
  • Henry Langton Brackenbury (1868-1920), British politician, Member of Parliament for Louth in Lincolnshire
  • Curt Brackenbury (b. 1952), Canadian NHL ice hockey player
  • Hannah Brackenbury (1795-1873), British philanthropist, benefactress of Balliol College, Oxford


The Brackenbury Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sans recuiller jamais
Motto Translation: Without ever receding.


  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)
  2. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 5 Feb. 2019


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