The ancestral home of the Brocken family is in the German state of Bavaria. The name Brocken is an occupational hereditary surname, a type of surname that was taken from a word describing or common to the profession of the original bearer. It is a name for a person who was physically powerful. This surname was originally derived from the Old German word brock which refers to those individuals who had a stocky or strong build. The surname Brocken also has local origins, being derived from the Old German word brok which denotes that the original bearer of the surname lived near a marshy area.
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Early Origins of the Brocken family
The surname Brocken was first found in the Rhineland, where the family became noted for its many branches within the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the local princes. In their later history the family became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family. The name may derives from the term "Brook" or "Brauk," which means a marshy landscape and was therefore common in the northern regions.
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Early History of the Brocken family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brocken research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1533, 1680 and 1747 are included under the topic Early Brocken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Brocken 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 Brocken include Brock, Brocke, Brocken, Brockes, Brock, Brokke, Braeuck, Braucker and many more.
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Early Notables of the Brocken family
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brocken Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Brocken family
The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Brocken, or one of its variants above: Hans Brock, who came to Canada in 1619. Friedrich Brock came to Philadelphia in 1733; as did Rudolf Brock in the same year, and Valentin Brock in 1751. August Brocker came to New York in 1882 and Thomas Brochus arrived in Maryland in 1735..
Germany
Ireland
