Briteman Surname History

Origins Available:
England

The history of the name Briteman begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name Brichtman. As the naming tradition grew in Europe baptismal names began to be introduced in many countries. Baptismal names were sometimes given in honor of Christian saints and other biblical figures. There are very few Christian countries in Europe that did not adopt surnames from these religious figures.

Early Origins of the Briteman family

The surname Briteman was first found in Suffolk, where the name first appeared in the Domesday Book where a Saxon landholder "Brihtmanus" 1 was listed. Early in the history of the family, they branched to nearby Norfolk, where John Brithman was registered in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 2 The Subsidy Rolls of Essex in 1327 list Robert Brightman 3

Early History of the Briteman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Briteman research. Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1349, 1369, 1377, 1501, 1562, 1576, 1584, 1607, 1753 and 1755 are included under the topic Early Briteman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briteman Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Briteman has been recorded under many different variations, including Brightman, Briteman, Brihtman, Bryteman, Brihtmanus and many more.

Early Notables of the Briteman family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Brightman (1562-1607), English clergyman and biblical scholar. Born at Nottingham, he was admitted a pensioner at Queens' College, Cambridge, in 1576, and later became fellow in 1584. "His desire was to die a sudden death. Riding on a coach with Sir John Osborne...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Briteman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Briteman family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Briteman or a variant listed above: Henry Brightman who sailed to Virginia in 1637.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)