Bronson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Bronson comes from the family having resided in Devon, where they held a family seat at Branscombe in the 9th century. Shortly after the Norman Conquest the estates of Branscombe were owned by the Bishop of Exeter and according to the Domesday Book, 1 150 sheep were part of the holdings contributed to the supplies of the Abbey of Exeter.

Early Origins of the Bronson family

The surname Bronson was first found in Devon at Branscombe, a village that dates back to the ninth century. At that time, the village was named Branecescumbe but by the Domesday Book of 1086, it was listed there as Branchescome. The estates of Branscombe were owned by the Bishop of Exeter and the 150 sheep which was part of the holdings contributed to the supplies of the Abbey of Exeter. 1 The place name literally means "valley of a man called Branoc," for the Celtic personal name + the Old English "Cumb." 2 One of the earliest records of the surname was Walter Branscombe (Bronscombe, Branescombe, Bronescombe, Bronescomb c. 1220-1280), born in Exeter, an early English priest, Bishop of Exeter from 1258 to 1280; he is buried in Exeter Castle.

"The church [of Colon, Cornwall] is said to have been erected and endowed by Walter Bronscomb, bishop of Exeter, about the year 1250, and by him appropriated to the Augustine canons of his college of Glaseney near Penryn." 3

Early History of the Bronson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bronson research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1327 is included under the topic Early Bronson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bronson Spelling Variations

Bronson has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Brancomb, Bronscombe, Branscom, Bronscom and others.

Early Notables of the Bronson family

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

Bronson Ranking

In the United States, the name Bronson is the 2,496^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 4

Bronson migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Bronsons to arrive on North American shores:

Bronson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Bronson, who arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1633 5

Bronson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Sarah J Bronson, who landed in New York in 1862 5
Mary A Bronson, aged 25, who landed in New York in 1862 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Bronson (post 1700) +

Harrison A. Bronson (1873-1947), American legislator and attorney
James H. Bronson (1838-1884), Union Army soldier during the American Civil War, recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm
Katrina Holden Bronson, American film director, screenwriter and actress
Clarence K. Bronson (1888-1916), pioneer aviator in the United States Navy
Johnathon Lee Bronson (b. 1982), professional American football tight end
Enos Bronson (1774-1823), American writer and newspaper publisher
Isaac Bronson (1760-1838), surgeon during the American Revolutionary War
Charles H. Bronson (b. 1949), the former American Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the State of Florida
Erskine Henry Bronson (1844-1920), American-born, Canadian businessman and political figure
Isaac Hopkins Bronson (1802-1855), United States federal judge and U.S. Representative from New York
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
"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)