Bratcher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Bavaria, one of the oldest and largest of the German states, is the birthplace of the Bratcher family. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules. Names derived from occupations were particularly common in this region. Bratcher is an occupational surname for master of hunting dogs. Further research showed the name was derived from the German word bracke. The surname Bratcher was also a nickname for a person that resembled a hunting dog. Moreover, the surname Bratcher is a nickname for a boisterous person, which is derived from the German word braht, which means loud or noise.

Early Origins of the Bratcher family

The surname Bratcher was first found in Bavaria, where this distinguished family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation.

Early History of the Bratcher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bratcher research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1637 and 1742 are included under the topic Early Bratcher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bratcher Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Bratcher include Brack, Bracke, Brach, Brache, Brak, Brakk, Brakke, Bracken, Brakken, Brachen, Bracker, Brakker, Bracher, Brackner, Brakkner, Brachner, Brackel, Brackell, Brachel, Brachell, Brakkel and many more.

Early Notables of the Bratcher family

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

Bratcher Ranking

In the United States, the name Bratcher is the 3,693^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Bratcher migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bratcher or a variant listed above:

Bratcher Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Austin Bratcher, who landed in New England in 1630 2
Mr. Augustine Bratcher, British settler who sailed from Isle of Wight arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 3

Bratcher Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

H. Bratcher, who immigrated to the United States from Marshwood, in 1919
Charles Bratcher, aged 22, who landed in America, in 1919
Frederick Bratcher, aged 19, who settled in America, in 1919
Fred Bratcher, aged 19, who landed in America, in 1920
Harry Bratcher, aged 39, who settled in America, in 1921
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bratcher (post 1700) +

Steve Bratcher, American politician and educator, Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (2023-)
Kevin D. Bratcher (b. 1961), American politician, Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (1997-)
Joseph Warwick Bratcher (1898-1977), nicknamed "Goobers," American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1924
Clifton Rhodes Bratcher (1917-1977), American jurist, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky (1976-1977)

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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm