Brachin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

Early Origins of the Brachin family

The surname Brachin was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire, where they held a family seat in the town of Brechin.

"This place derives its name, of Gaelic origin, from its situation on an acclivity rising from the banks of the river South Esk; it is of very considerable antiquity, and was formerly the seat of a diocese, the cathedral of which is now the church of the parish. " 1

Isaac of Brechin in 1178 was one of the first to use the name as a surname. In their early history they seemed to be closely related to the church and church activities, and frequent mention is made of their relationship with the Bishops of Brechin. Conjecturally this Isaac may have been the spearhead of many of the Norman families invited north by King David I of Scotland about 1130, and granted lands at Brechin. 2

Sir David Brechin (d. 1321), Lord of Brechin, a royal burgh in Angusshire, was eldest son of Sir David of Brechin, one of the barons of Scotland who attended Edward I into France 1297. "His mother, whose Christian name is not known, was one of the seven sisters of King Robert Bruce, but his father seems to have favoured the English side up to the king's victory at Inverary in 1308, when he retired to his castle of Brechin. "3

Much further to the south in St. Ive, Cornwall, England we found this interesting passage: "There was a little king of Wales named Brechan, from whom the district of Brecknock derived its name. This king had twenty-four sons and daughters, who finally took up their residence in various parts of Devonshire and Cornwall, where they lived as hermits; on which account they were considered as holy martyrs, saints, or confessors. One of these, whose name was John, took up his abode in Cornwall, in a parish that has assumed his name." 4

Early History of the Brachin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brachin research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1234, 1296, 1320, 1330, 1471, 1541, 1600 and 1672 are included under the topic Early Brachin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brachin Spelling Variations

Prior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. Brachin has been spelled Brechin, Breechin, Breichen, Brichan, Brichane, Breching and many more.

Early Notables of the Brachin family

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

Brachin migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. Among them:

Brachin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anna Catharina Brachin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1710 5

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
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)