Brewdnell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Brewdnell family

The surname Brewdnell was first found in Northamptonshire at Deene, parish, in the union of Oundle, hundred of Corby. "The church [of Deene] contains portions of the early and decorated English styles, and has windows exhibiting some superior tracery, and several ancient monuments to the Brudenell family." 1

The family was likely descended from Alençon, Normandy and one of the first records was that of Hugo de Bretinolles, temp. Henry I., who held a knight's fee in Berkshire in 1165. "The change of the name from Bretignolles to Bredenell, Bredenhill, and Brudenel, appears from various records." 2

"Amongst the old Leicestershire names now rare in the county is that of Brudenell. The Brudenells were a very distinguished family in the 16th and 17th centuries, and from them sprang the noble house of Cardigan." 3

Early History of the Brewdnell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brewdnell research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1102, 1136, 1139, 1151, 1193, 1234, 1391, 1429, 1455, 1461, 1487, 1510, 1520, 1530, 1531, 1532, 1533, 1547, 1593, 1600, 1607, 1663, 1692, 1703 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Brewdnell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brewdnell Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Brudenell, Brudnell, Brudenall, Brudnall, Brudenhall, Brewdenell, Brewdenall, Brewdnell, Broodnel, Brudnel, Brudnal, Broodnell, Broodnall, Bruddenell, Bruddenall, Birkenell, Brykenell, Brykenell and many more.

Early Notables of the Brewdnell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Brudenell, High Sheriff of Rutland; Sir Robert Brudenell KS (1461-1531), Chief Justice of the Common Pleas (1520-1530.) He was descended from William Brudenell, who was settled at Dodington and Adderbury in Oxfordshire, and Aynhoe, Northamptonshire, in the reign of Henry III, and from an Edmund lirudenell who was Attorney-General to Richard II...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brewdnell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brewdnell family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Brewdnell or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.