Breint History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the bearers of the Breint family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Staffordshire. The name is thought to have been derived from the Middle English words "brend, brent and brind" which are in turn derived from the Old English word "beornan," meaning "to burn." 1

The name may have been derived from Brind, a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, now part of the civil parish of Wressle. This hamlet dates back to 1188 when it was known as Brende, having derived from the Old English word "brende," meaning "place destroyed or cleared by burning." 2

Early Origins of the Breint family

The surname Breint was first found in Staffordshire, where Gilbert Brende was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. Years later in Worcestershire, Adam Brend and John Brent were listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and Hugo le Brent was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls for Oxfordshire in 1279. Over in Suffolk, the Subsidy Rolls recorded Geoffrey le Brende in 1327. 1

Brende (with no first name) was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1188, but no county was recorded.

Early History of the Breint family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Breint research. Another 224 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1307, 1327, 1379, 1500, 1516, 1560, 1572, 1598, 1600, 1601 and 1659 are included under the topic Early Breint History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breint 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 Breint include Brend, Brende, Brennde, Breand, Breande and others.

Early Notables of the Breint family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Adam Brend, a prominent 14th century landholder in Worcestershire; Thomas Brend (c. 1516-1598), owner of the land on which the Globe Theatre was built; Nicholas Brend (c. 1560-1601), inherited...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Breint Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breint migration to Canada +

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 Breint or a variant listed above:

Breint Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Sieur Du Breint, who landed in Acadia in 1636

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)