Bragdon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Bragdon date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in one of the settlements named Brandon in Durham, Norfolk, Suffolk, or Warwickshire, or in Brundon in Essex.

Early Origins of the Bragdon family

The surname Bragdon was first found in one of the many villages named Brandon or Brendon in England. The place names are frequent due to the literal origin of "hill where broom grows," from the Old English "brom" + "dun." 1

The oldest place name was Brandon, Lincolnshire which dates back to 1060 while the Suffolk, Warwickshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire locals are all listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 with various spellings used at that time: Brandona, Suffolk; Brandune, Warwickshire; Brandun, Norfolk; and Brandune, Lincolnshire. 2

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG (c.1484-1545) lived in Westhorpe, Suffolk. "The Hall, a noble mansion, at one time the residence of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, was taken down about the middle of the last century; his royal consort, Mary, died here in 1533." 3

The same Duke of Suffolk also held lands and a family seat at Beckenham in Kent. "In the reign of Henry VIII., Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, entertained that monarch when on his journey to visit Anne of Cleves, with great pomp, at the manor-house." 3

There are many more notables of the name but for now we must pause to mention Richard Brandon (d. 1649) as he was the executioner of Charles I. He was the son of Gregory Brandon, a common hangman of London in the early part of the seventeenth century. 4

Early History of the Bragdon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bragdon research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1484, 1485, 1514, 1516, 1517, 1519, 1534, 1535, 1537, 1545, 1547, 1551, 1559, 1649 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bragdon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bragdon Spelling Variations

Bragdon 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. Many variations of the name Bragdon have been found, including Brandon, Branden, Brandan and others.

Early Notables of the Bragdon family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir William Brandon (d. 1485), who was Henry Tudor's standard-bearer at the Battle of Bosworth; his son Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle (c.1484-1545), brother-in-law to Henry VIII; Henry Brandon, 1st Earl of Lincoln (1516-1534); Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk (1517-1559), maiden name Lady Frances Brandon, niece of Henry VIII; Lady Eleanor Brandon (1519-1547), the third child...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bragdon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bragdon Ranking

In the United States, the name Bragdon is the 9,737^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Bragdon family to Ireland

Some of the Bragdon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bragdon 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 Bragdons to arrive on North American shores:

Bragdon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Bragdon, aged 23, who arrived in America from Ireland, in 1893
William Bragdon, aged 17, who arrived in America, in 1896

Bragdon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mariette Bragdon, aged 11, who arrived in America, in 1904
Elisabeth Bragdon, aged 25, who arrived in America, in 1904
Mr. R. H. Bragdon, aged 52, who arrived in America, in 1905
Joseph Bragdon, aged 20, who arrived in America, in 1907
Charles R. Bragdon, aged 21, who arrived in America, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bragdon (post 1700) +

Paul Bragdon (1927-2021), American Reed College’s longest serving President, eponym of Bragdon Hall
John Stewart Bragdon (1893-1964), American Major General in the United States Army, awarded two Distinguished Service Medals
Jonathan Bragdon (b. 1944), American artist who has lived in the Netherlands since 1979
Peter Bragdon, American politician, Member of the New Hampshire Senate (2004-)
David Bragdon (b. 1959), American politician
Claude Fayette Bragdon (1866-1946), American architect, writer, and stage designer

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/