Show ContentsBretherton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bretherton is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Lancashire, where the name is derived from the Old Norse word for brother. The name could have been derived from Bretherton, a township in the parish of Croston.

Early Origins of the Bretherton family

The surname Bretherton was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Bretherton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bretherton research. Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bretherton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bretherton Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bretherton are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Bretherton include: Bretherton, Bretherston and others.

Early Notables of the Bretherton family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Marchesa Stapleton Bretherton who married into the distinguished Stapletons of Yorkshire


Canada Bretherton migration to Canada +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bretherton or a variant listed above:

Bretherton Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Australia Bretherton migration to Australia +

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

Bretherton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Joseph Bretherton, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancastershire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 10th August 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [2]

New Zealand Bretherton 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:

Bretherton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Henry Bretherton, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Bruce" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th September 1860 [3]
  • W. Bretherton, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wild Duck" in 1865
  • Arthur Bretherton, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maraval" in 1880
  • Joseph Bretherton, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maraval" in 1880

Contemporary Notables of the name Bretherton (post 1700) +

  • David Bretherton (1924-2000), American film editor
  • Howard P Bretherton (1896-1969), American actor and film director
  • Harold George Bretherton (b. 1876), American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Aguascalientes, 1910-24 [4]
  • Philip Bretherton (b. 1956), English actor
  • Russell Bretherton, British civil servant and entomologist
  • Bruce Bretherton, Australian fighter pilot and flying ace in the Royal Australian Air Force, during World War II, credited with 12 aerial victories

RMS Lusitania
  • Master Paul Bretherton, American 2nd Class passenger from Santa Monica, California, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 13 [5]
  • Mrs. Norah Annie Bretherton, (née Keating), American 2nd Class passenger from Santa Monica, California, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 13 [5]
  • Miss Elizabeth Betty Bretherton, American 2nd Class passenger from Santa Monica, California, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered [5]


  1. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  2. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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