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Brenan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Brenan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland-Alt
Ireland

Many variations of the name Brenan have evolved since the time of its initial creation. In Gaelic it appeared as "O Braondin," from the word "braon," which has several meanings, possibly meaning "sorrow" in this case.

Saint Brendan or Brenainn (490?-573), of Birr, "which was so called from the abundance of wells there (birr, birra, water), now Parsonstown, in the King's County. He was son of Neman, a poet, and Mansenna, and belonged to the race of Corb Aulam, great-grandson of Rudhraighe, from whom were the Clanna Rudhraighe. " 1

Another Saint Brendan or Brenainn (484-577), of Clonfert, was born in 484, at Littus li, or Stagnum li, now Tralee, co. Kerry. "He is termed son of Finnloga, to distinguish him from his contemporary, St. Brendan of Birr. " 1

Early Origins of the Brenan family

The surname Brenan was first found in County Kilkenny (Irish: Cill Chainnigh), the former Kingdom of Osraige (Ossory), located in Southeastern Ireland in the province of Leinster, where the family claim descent from Braonan, an Irish Prince, brother of Ceallach, 17th King of Ossory. Braonan later became the King of Ossory, and also King of the Danes of Dublin, and was known as the Prince of Idough. His son, Conglach, in a dispute over the throne of Ossory, was killed near Three Castles, County Kilkenny.

At this point in time, the Brennans were in conflict with Brian Boru (1014), and most historians believe that the family was on the wrong side as allies of the Danish King. After Clontarf, they retained only the principality of Idough, but Anne, daughter of Guidhelgedh, three generations later, married the King of Ossory (Donogh), and the title was still extant even after the Anglo Norman invasion of 1172.

Early History of the Brenan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brenan research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1395, 1520, 1600, 1625, 1693, 1768, 1794, 1830 and 1832 are included under the topic Early Brenan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brenan Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Brenan family name include Brennan, McBrennan, Brannon, Brannan, Brannen, Brannin, Brennyn, Brannyn, MacBrennan, Brenan, Branon, Branan, Branen and many more.

Early Notables of the Brenan family

Notable among the family name at this time was Sir Art O'Brennan of Castlecomer Castle; Most Rev. John Brennan (1625-1693), Bishop of Waterford and Archbishop of Cashel; John Brennan (1768-1830)...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brenan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brenan migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Brenan:

Brenan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Brenan, who landed in Virginia in 1723 2
Neile Brenan, who arrived in Virginia in 1723 2

Brenan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Edward Brenan, aged 34, who arrived in New York in 1812 2
John Brenan, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1812 2
James Brenan, who arrived in America in 1816 2
Daniel Brenan, who arrived in South Carolina in 1825 2
Patrick N Brenan, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1828 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brenan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Brenan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Owen Brenan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1818
Eleanor Brenan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1828
Patrick Brenan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1829
Edmund Brenan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1829
Peter Brenan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1830
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brenan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Brenan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Brenan, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on February 22, 1834, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 3
Bridget Brenan, aged 22, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Nugget" 4
Judith Brenan, aged 19, a dairy maid, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Nugget" 4
Ann Brenan, aged 22, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 5
Catherine Brenan, aged 21, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Brenan (post 1700) +

Elizabeth Brenan, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Plymouth, Pennsylvania, 1941-44 (acting, 1941-44) 6
John Brenan (1768-1830), Irish physician, born at Ballaghide, Carlow, Ireland, the youngest of six children 7
? Brenan (b. 1756), Irish author of the 'Painter's Breakfast;' a dramatic satire set in Dublin in 1756 7
Joseph Brenan (1828-1857), Irish poet, journalist and author
James Brenan (1837-1907), Irish artist
Michael John Brenan (1780-1847), Roman Catholic priest and an ecclesiastical historian
Edward FitzGerald "Gerald" Brenan CBE (1894-1987), British writer
John Patrick Micklethwait Brenan (1917-1985), British botanist
Gerald Brenan (1894-1987), English travel writer

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1834 with 230 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1834
South Australian Register Tuesday 4th July 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nugget 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/nugget1854.shtml
South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Europa 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 5 Feb. 2019