Contents [hide]

Breach History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Breach History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Breach comes from when the family resided near a newly cultivated piece of land. The surname Breach is derived from the Old English word bræc. 1

Early Origins of the Breach family

The surname Breach was first found in Shropshire where Peter de la Breche was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1221. A few years later, Peter de la Brach was listed in Surrey in 1248 and Philip atte Breche was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Later again, Rose atte Brache was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Bedfordshire in 1309. Robert le Brechere was listed at Oseney, Oxfordshire in 1245, while William le Brechere was found in Cornwall in 1297. 1

Early History of the Breach family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Breach research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Breach History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breach Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Breach include Breach, Brech, Britch, Breashears, Breashear and many more.

Early Notables of the Breach family

Distinguished members of the family include

Peter Breach of Shropshire

Breach migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Breach Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Klaas Breach, who arrived in New York in 1709 2
Thomas Breach, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1745 2
Johan Friederich Breach, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 2

Breach Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Breach junior who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1844
A. Breach arrived in San Francisco, California in 1852
Henry N Breach, who arrived in Colorado in 1889 2

Breach migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Breach Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Walter Breach, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lalla Rookh" in 1840 3

Breach migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Breach Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Breach, (b. 1823), aged 32, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Grasmere" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th May 1855 4
Miss Martha Breach, (b. 1838), aged 17, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Grasmere" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th May 1855 4
Samuel Breach, aged 27, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 5
Levi Breach, aged 45, a coachman, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1875
Eliza Breach, aged 42, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Breach (post 1700) +

Joyce Breach, American Jazz singer
Chris Breach (b. 1986), English professional footballer

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LALA ROOKH 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840LallaRookh.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html