Show ContentsBrandard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Brandard name is an important part of the history of the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Brandard is derived from the common Old English personal name, Brand, or the Old Norse name, Brandr. The word brand comes from the Germanic word brand, which means sword. This surname was found in Lincolnshire, where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the Norman Conquest. "As a personal name it occurs in the genealogy of the Northumbrian kings from Woden. It was a very common old Scandinavian name, and it is still used in Iceland. " 1

"The name Brand in England is usually taken to be of Norse origin, but it may be noted that as early as 1046 we find Bransbury, Hants, as Brandesburh, while Branston, Staffs, is Brantestun, in a charter (Birch, Cart. Saxonicum, 978) dated 956." 2

Another source noted that "Walter Brandus held lands by knight service in the Viscounty of Caen 1165 and William Brant had estates Norfolk 1086. (Domesday Book)" 3 4

Early Origins of the Brandard family

The surname Brandard was first found in Lincolnshire where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: William Brand, or Brant; and Walter Brand, or Brant. The same rolls also listed John Brand, Oxfordshire; Robert Brand, Oxfordshire; and Wymer Brant, Norfolk. 5

Further to the north in Scotland, early records there revealed "Giliane Brand held land in Irvine, 1323. Thomas Brand was burgess of Edinburgh in 1512, and the name was common there in the seventeenth century." 2

Early History of the Brandard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brandard research. Another 253 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1100, 1150, 1506, 1591, 1605, 1626, 1631, 1635, 1660, 1662, 1663, 1668, 1674, 1685, 1691, 1700 and 1738 are included under the topic Early Brandard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brandard Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Brandard were recorded, including Brand, Brande, Brands, Brander, Brant, Branter and others.

Early Notables of the Brandard family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Joseph Brand (1605-1674), an English merchant, landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660 and Sheriff of Suffolk from 1662 to 1663; and Thomas Brand (1635-1691), an English nonconformist minister and divine.John Brand (1668?-1738)...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brandard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brandard family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Brandard family emigrate to North America: Benjamin Brand who settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630; John Brand settled in Virginia in 1670; John Brande settled in Maryland in 1775; they also settled in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Texas and Massachusetts in the 18th and 19th centuries..


Contemporary Notables of the name Brandard (post 1700) +

  • Robert Brandard (1805-1862), English engraver, born at Birmingham but went to London at the age of nineteen, and after studying for a short time with Edward Goodall, the eminent landscape-engraver, practised with much ability in the same branch of the art 6


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. 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)
  3. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 5 Feb. 2019


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