Brannan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Brannan name:

Brannan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Luke Brannan, aged 33, who landed in New York in 1810 3
• Samuel Brannan, aged 22, who arrived in New York in 1812 3
• Patrick Brannan, who arrived in New York in 1814 3
• James Brannan, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1816 3
• John Brannan, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1818 3
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Brannan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Mary Brannan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Mr. Charles Brannan U.E. who settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick c. 1783 4

Brannan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. William Brannan, British Convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 6th April 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
• Miss Elizabeth Brannan, (Balstock), English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 20th June 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
• Mr. James Brannan, English convict who was convicted in Cumberland, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 10th August 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
• Thomas Brannan, English convict from Yorkshire, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on April 16, 1855, settling in Western Australia 8
• Mr. John Brannan, (b. 1820), aged 37, Irish farm labourer, from Kilkenny, Ireland travelling aboard the ship "Plantagenet" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 13th February 1857 9
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

• John Milton Brannan (1819-1892), American Army officer, Union general in the American Civil War
• Otis Owen Brannan (1899-1967), American Major League Baseball player
• Duncan Brannan, American voice actor, best known for providing the voice for Barney the Dinosaur
• Charles Franklin Brannan (1903-1992), American Secretary of Agriculture (1948 to 1953)
• Jay Brannan (b. 1982), American singer-songwriter and actor
• Samuel Brannan (1819-1889), American settler, publisher who founded the "California Star" newspaper
• Samuel Brannan, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for California, 1864 10
• P. F. Brannan, American politician, Mayor of Weatherford, Texas, 1882-84 10
• L. W. Brannan Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1956, 1964, 1972 10
• Eda Brannan, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Colorado, 1960 10
• ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)