Bratby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Bratby is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the county of Chester, where they derived their name from the town of Bredbury. The town's name is derived from the Old English words bred or brade which means broad and byrig, the original form of burh, which means fort. Thus, the name denotes the dweller at the broad fort. 1

Early Origins of the Bratby family

The surname Bratby was first found in Greater Manchester at Bredbury, a suburban town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. 2 Historically a township, in the parish and union of Stockport, hundred of Macclesfield, N. division of the county of Chester, Bredbury dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Brethberie. 3

"The manor was held under the Stockports, by the family of Bredbury, whose heiress brought a moiety of it to the Ardens." 4 Another reference claims the place name meant "stronghold or manor-house built of planks," from the Old English words "bred" + "burgh." 5

Some of the first listings of the family were found in Cheshire: Jordan de Bredbury in 1270; Adam de Bredbury in 1332. 2

Early History of the Bratby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bratby research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1439, 1450, 1509, 1510, 1530, 1555, 1601, 1615, 1672, 1677, 1679, 1688, 1692, 1696, 1700, 1759, 1872, 1925 and 1950 are included under the topic Early Bratby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bratby Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Bratby has been spelled many different ways, including Bradbury, BradBerry, Braidbury and others.

Early Notables of the Bratby family

Distinguished members of the family include George Bradbury (d.1696), an English judge, appointed to the bench of the Court of Exchequer in 1688, and continued in office until his death; Thomas Bradbury (1677-1759), an English congregational minister; and Mary Perkins Bradbury (1615-1700) was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, but the sentence was never carried out after...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bratby Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bratby family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Bratbys to arrive in North America: Ellinor Bradbury who settled in Maryland in 1682; with her husband Roger, three sons and two daughters; Thomas Bradbury settled in Maine in 1630; and another Thomas Bradbury settled in Boston in 1700..

Contemporary Notables of the name Bratby (post 1700) +

John Bratby (b. 1928), English artist and writer who founded the kitchen sink realism style of art

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)