Braunton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the bearers of the Braunton family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in one of the settlements named Brampton, which were found in the counties of Cumberland, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Suffolk, Westmorland (now part of Cumbria), and the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Brompton literally means the "Broom Enclosure or Farm" from the Old English brom + tun, while Brampton literally means the "Bramble Enclosure or Farmstead" from the Old English bram + tun. 1

Early Origins of the Braunton family

The surname Braunton was first found in Norfolk where they held estates as far back as 1205, when Geoffery Brompton at that time. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Peter de Brampton in Derbyshire; Hugh de Brompton in Huntingdonshire; Geoffrey de Bampton, Huntingdonshire; Brian de Brampton, Gloucestershire; Alan de Bramtone, Cambridgeshire; and William de Brampton, Oxfordshire. 3

The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III listed Bryan de Brumpton, Herefordshire and Adam de Brumpton, Salop (Shropshire) 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of King Edward I's reign.) 3

Moving to the south in Devon, we found this interesting entry about the Braunton variant which we include in full: Across the Taw lies Braunton, presumably derived from Brannock's ' tun,' Brannock being the patron saint; and the legend of the foundation of the church averring that he was directed to build it where he next saw a sow and her litter, in witness whereof sow and farrows are to be seen duly carven on a boss. Legend further affirms that he obtained the timber from a forest which then grew upon the site of the sandy waste fringing the Taw, now known as Braunton Burrows, and drew it to the spot by deer. And it would be a remarkable coincidence if the remains had not suggested the tradition that a submerged forest does exist in Barnstaple Bay near the point indicated, and that cervine bones and antlers have been found therein. On the cliffs at Croyde, hard by, flint chips are so numerous as to indicate the existence there of a prehistoric implement-manufactory." 4

Interestingly, the name Rampton, typically found in Cambridgeshire and Nottinghamshire is a 13th century variant of the name appearing at that time as Ramtune in Cambridgeshire. 1 This variant is derived from the ancient English word "ram" (meaning enclosure) + "tun." 5

Early History of the Braunton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Braunton research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1436, 1440, 1508, 1690 and 1751 are included under the topic Early Braunton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Braunton Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Braunton include Brampton, Bramton, Brompton, Brumton, Rampton and others.

Early Notables of the Braunton family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Edward Brampton, KG (1440-1508), the Governor of Guernsey, a knight, adventurer, ship commander and the godson and protégé of...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Braunton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Braunton family to Ireland

Some of the Braunton 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.

Migration of the Braunton family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Braunton or a variant listed above: Mansfield Brampton who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1772; Briar Brampton settled in Virginia in 1774; Isaac Brampton arrived in Philadelphia in 1858.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)