Contents [hide]

Britton History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Britton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Britton was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Britton family lived in Devon. The name is a reference to the French province of Brettagne or Brittany, from where this family arrived in 1066. 1

Early Origins of the Britton family

The surname Britton was first found in Devon, where they held a family seat from the 11th century. Originating in Brittany, 2 the name was introduced to England in 1066 with Auvrai le Breton being present at the Norman Conquest in 1066 under the banner of Alain le Roux. William the Conqueror rewarded Auvrai for his service with lordships in Devon. Later some of the family were found at Great Witchingham in Norfolk. "The church is a handsome structure, chiefly in the later English style, with a lofty square embattled tower [holds the remains of] John Britton, Bishop of Hereford, who died in 1275." 3

A search through early rolls provided a glimpse of the many spellings in use throughout ancient Briton at the time: Geoffrey le Bretun was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Essex in 1164; Geoffrey le Briton in the Pipe Rolls for Yorkshire in 1164; Louis le Brion in Essex in 1166; Ralph Bretun in Oseney, Oxfordshire in 1166; William le Bruton in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1248; and John le Bruton in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1279. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: John de Brytaygn, Cambridgeshire; Giffard le Bretun, Buckinghamshire; Hugo le Bretun, Cambridgeshire; and Roger le Bretun, Suffolk. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed; Alicia de Britten; Elias de Britton; and Ricardus Britton as all holding lands there at that time. 4

Early History of the Britton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Britton research. Another 213 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1164, 1166, 1248, 1279, 1294, 1297, 1379, 1599, 1644, 1651, 1654, 1678, 1714, 1771, 1806 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Britton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Britton Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Britton have been found, including Brittoner, Brettoner, Brittany, Briton, Breton, Bretun, Bruton, Bretener, Bretoner, Brettner, Brittain and many more.

Early Notables of the Britton family

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

Britton Ranking

In the United States, the name Britton is the 1,183^rd most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 5 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Britton is ranked the 704^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,515 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Britton family to Ireland

Some of the Britton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Britton migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Britton were among those contributors:

Britton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Tho Britton, aged 26, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Plain Joan" 7
Jo Britton, (b. 1612), aged 23, British settler who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Abraham" 8
William Britton, who landed in Maryland in 1637 7
William, Britton Jr., aged 4, who arrived in Maryland in 1637 7
Mary Britton, who arrived in Maryland in 1637 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Britton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Britton, who landed in Virginia in 1704 7

Britton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Hugh Britton, who landed in America in 1810 7
Whiteney Britton, who landed in Texas in 1835 7
William Britton, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1846 7
R S Britton, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
D Britton, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Britton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Britton Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. John Britton U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1783 9
Ensign Joseph Britton U.E. born in New Jersey, USA who settled in Kings County, New Brunswick c. 1783 he served as part of the New Jersey Volunteers 9
Mr. William Britton U.E. born in New Jersey, USA who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1783 he died in 1811 9

Britton Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Elizabeth Britton, who settled in Montreal in 1820
Benjamin Britton, who landed in Canada in 1841
Ann Jane Britton, who emigrated from Ulster to Canada in 1846
Miss. Ann Britton, aged 25 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Rose" departing 19th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st July 1847 but she died on board 10
Mr. Richard Britton, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Rose" departing 19th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st July 1847 but he died on board 10

Britton migration to Australia +

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

Britton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Siddons Britton, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. John Britton, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 6th April 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Thomas Britton, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. Samuel Britton, (b. 1797), aged 25, English Farm Labourer who was convicted in Bristol, England for 14 years for theft, transported aboard the "Caledonia" in 19th June 1822, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he was a bushranger at large after he absconded in 1828 till 1835 until he disappeared 14
Mr. Thomas Britton, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Britton 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:

Britton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Lucy Britton, (b. 1847), aged 15, British nursemaid travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 16
Alexander Britton, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Armstrong" in 1865
Elizabeth Britton, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Armstrong" in 1865
Mr. Edwin Britton, (b. 1848), aged 22, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 16
Miss Fanny Britton, (b. 1852), aged 18, British general servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Britton (post 1700) +

Paul Britton (b. 1973), British philanthropist and CEO of a multi-million investment corporation in New York.
Devin Britton (b. 1991), American professional tennis player
Nathaniel Lord Britton (1859-1934), American botanist and taxonomist
Elizabeth Gertrude Britton (1857-1934), American botanist, bryologist
Christopher "Chris" Daniel Britton (b. 1982), American right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher
Zachary Grant "Zach" Britton (b. 1987), American Major League Baseball pitcher
Barbara Britton (1919-1980), American film and television actress, best known as the first actress to play Laura Petrie for the pilot to be later named The Dick van Dyke Show
Connie Britton (b. 1967), born Constance Womack, American actress
Pamela Britton (1923-1974), American actress
Anthony Edward Lowry "Tony" Britton (1924-2019), English actor and father of presenter Fern Britton, scriptwriter Cherry Britton and actor Jasper Britton
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Britton family +

Frank Rock Slide

Mr. Joseph Britton, Canadian foreman of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 17

HMS Hood

Mr. Clarence V Britton (b. 1922), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Bristol, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 18

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William S Britton, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 19

HMS Royal Oak

Thomas Frederick Britton (1902-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 20

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 66)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 26th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Calgary Herald news article retrieved 11th August 2021. Retrieved from https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Calgary_Herald_Thu__Apr_30__1903_-copy-scaled.jpg
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html