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Brunner History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Brunner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Germany

The region that comprises the modern state of Austria is the ancient homeland of the Brunner family. Austria, which was originally home to a Celtic people, was conquered by the Roman Empire in about 15 BC. Following the fall of Rome, Austria was repeatedly invaded by barbarian tribes, such as the Vandals, Visigoths, and Huns, who swept in from the east. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Alemanni, Avars and Slavs settled Austria. The Avars were defeated in 785 by the Frankish emperor Charlemagne, who set up the East Mark, which later became known as the Österreich. Austria was ruled by the Babenburger dynasty until 1278, when they were succeeded by the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria until the 20th century.

Early Origins of the Brunner family

The surname Brunner was first found in Austria and Tyrol, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and would later play a large role in the political conflicts of the area. The family branched into many houses, some of which acquired estates and manors throughout the surrounding regions, where they played significant roles in the social and political affairs. The oldest and most prominent branch was known as Brunner (Prunner) von Vasoltsberg. They were members of the Styrian nobility from as early as 1363. The progenitor is believed to be one "Heinrich," a relative of Count Eberhard zu Wallsee, who lived around 1363. Of his direct descendants, Colomann Brunner was Privy Councillor to the Austrian Emperor around 1566.

Early History of the Brunner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brunner research. Another 145 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1380, 1410, 1531, 1571, 1745, 1840 and 1915 are included under the topic Early Brunner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brunner Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Brunner include Brunner, Bruner, Bruenner, Bruener, Breunner, Breuner, Bruenn and many more.

Early Notables of the Brunner family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Brunner were

Conrad Brunner (died 1410), a Swiss Benedictine monk, he was abbot of the monastery at Muri in today's Canton of Aargau (1380-death), joined the order and in 1380, elected abbot, first head of that ab...
Thomas Brunner (d.1571), who was a schoolmaster at Steyr, known for writing biblical plays for school performance and wrote under the pseudonym Pegaeus

Brunner Ranking

In the United States, the name Brunner is the 2,431^st most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Brunner is ranked the 2,330^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,777 people with that name. 2

Brunner migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Brunner or a variant listed above:

Brunner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jacob Brunner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1728 aboard the ship "Mortonhouse John Coultas" 3
Josef Brunner, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1729 3
Joseph Brunner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1729 3
Felix Brunner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 3
Suzanna Brunner, who landed in America in 1733 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brunner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John W Brunner, who landed in New York in 1836 3
Georg Brunner, aged 26, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 3
Anton Brunner, who arrived in New York, NY in 1848 3
John Julius Brunner, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 3
A A Brunner, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brunner migration to Australia +

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

Brunner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Carl Brunner, aged 31, a smith, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Gellert" 4

Brunner 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:

Brunner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Brunner, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Whitby" in 1841

Contemporary Notables of the name Brunner (post 1700) +

Arnold William Brunner (1857-1925), American architect
John G. Brunner, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Senator from Missouri, 2012 5
Mrs. John Brunner, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1952 5
Jennifer Brunner, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1996, 2008 5
Henry G. Brunner (1885-1963), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Mansfield, Ohio, 1918-24; Ohio Democratic State Chair, 1927-31; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1928, 1932 5
Glenn W. Brunner, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Nagasaki, 1937 5
George E. Brunner, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1936, 1944, 1948, 1956, 1964; Mayor of Camden, New Jersey, 1937-56 5
Frank R. Brunner, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 11th District, 1885-88 5
David B. Brunner (1835-1903), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 9th District, 1889-93 5
Charles M. Brunner, American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Bay City, Michigan, 2008-10; Member of Michigan State House of Representatives 96th District; Elected 2012 5
... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Brunner family +

Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie)

Colleen Renee Brunner (1968-1988), American Student from Hamburg, New York, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 6

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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) GELLERT 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Gellert.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago | syracuse.com. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/pan_am_flight_103s_victims_a_list_of_those_killed_25_years_ago.html