Bradden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Bradden. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Bradden family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Bradden is a local type of surname and the Bradden family lived in South Northamptonshire at the village of Bradden.

Early Origins of the Bradden family

The surname Bradden was first found in South Northamptonshire at Bradden, a village and civil parish which dates back the Domesday Book 1 where it was listed as Bradene. The name literally means "broad valley" derived from the Old English words "brad" + "denu" 2

Early History of the Bradden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bradden research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1683 and 1724 are included under the topic Early Bradden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bradden Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Braddon, Bradden and others.

Early Notables of the Bradden family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Captain John Braddon, Magistrate and Lieutenant of Cornwall. Lawrence Braddon (d. 1724), was an English politician, the second son of William Braddon of Treworgy, in St. Genny's, Cornwall. "When the Earl of Essex died in the Tower in 1683, Braddon adopted the belief that he had been murdered, and worked actively to collect sufficient evidence to prove the murder. He set on foot inquiries on the subject in London, and when a rumour reached him that the news of the earl's death was known at Marlborough on the very...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bradden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bradden family to Ireland

Some of the Bradden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bradden migration to the United States +

An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bradden or a variant listed above:

Bradden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

W Bradden, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3

Bradden migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bradden Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mary Bradden, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1840

The Bradden Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Aut mors aut libertas
Motto Translation: Either death or liberty.

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)
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)