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![Show Contents]() Brents History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The roots of the Brents family are found in the ancient German duchy of Bavaria. Brents is one of the most common styles of German surname, that of patronymics and metronymics - names derived from the given names of the father or mother of their original bearers. Brents is derived from the Germanic personal name Brando, a short form of the various compound personal names containing the element brand, which means sword or fire. The name may also be a short-form of an old Germanic name such as Brandhart ("fire-strong"), Brandoalt ("fire-powerful", or Hildebrand ("sword-fire"). In many cases, the surname Brents also derives from a first name, which is shortened from first names such as Hildebrand, Brandhart or Brandold. Brand was a popular short form of Hildebrand in N Germany. 1 Alternatively, the name could have referred to a former resident of one of the multiple localities named Brand. There are thirty-nine villages and towns with the name of Brand in the southern German province of Bavaria alone. A settlement was named Brand usually if it came to be built in an area which had been cleared by fire. Early Origins of the Brents familyThe surname Brents was first found in Bavaria, where the family came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. Some of the first records of this name or one of its variants is Ulrich Brant who was a cloth-maker in 1276 and Waltherus de Brant, who was a farmer zu Regensdorf in 1280. A shopkeeper Brand was listed in Stettin in 1351 and his sons Brand and Brand. As a forename, Brand Krekenoghe was found in Hanover in 1407. 1 Early History of the Brents familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brents research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1457, 1517, 1521, 1570, 1626, 1685, 1735, 1778 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Brents History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Brents Spelling VariationsMany cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Brents include Brand, Brande, Brandde, Brannde, Brandt, Brandte, Brandtes, Brandtte, Brant, Brante, Brend, Brende, Brendde, Brent, Brendt, Braend, Braende, Braendde, Braennde, Braent, Braendt, Brandes, Brandis and many more. Early Notables of the Brents familyProminent among members of the name Brents in this period include Sebastian Brant (1457-1521), who was known for his long poems, such as "The Ship of Fools"; Jobst Brandt...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brents Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Brents familyGerman settlers were among the most common to come to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Poverty and religious persecution drove many Bavarians to make this long trek. tenant farmers were also enticed by the prospect of owning land. From east to west, these German immigrants populated the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada also provided homes to many. Early settlers bearing the Brents surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Albertus Brandt, who came to Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1691; Michael Brandt came to Philadelphia in 1732; as did many other Brandts, such as Johannes Brandt in 1736.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Brents (post 1700) | + |
- Walker A. Brents, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1960 2
- Thomas Hurley Brents (1840-1916), American Republican politician, Member of Washington Territorial House of Representatives, 1866; Superior Court Judge in Washington, 1896-1913 2
- Charles Brents Kennamer (1874-1955), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Alabama, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Alabama 7th District, 1920 3
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