Show ContentsBriknell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the name Briknell date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Briknell family lived in or near the village of Brignall near Greta Bridge close to Barnard Castle, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. It was transferred to County Durham for administrative and ceremonial purposes on 1 April 1974.

Early Origins of the Briknell family

The surname Briknell was first found in Yorkshire. However, Bracknell is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire. It dates back to AD 942 as Braccan heal, and may meant "nook of land belonging to a man called Bracca", from the Old English personal name + halh. 1

Early History of the Briknell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Briknell research. Another 264 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1313, 1327, 1379, 1400, 1409, 1500, 1664, 1675 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Briknell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briknell Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Briknell are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Briknell include: Brignall, Brignal, Brigenehall, Brigenhale, Briggenale, Brigkenhall, Brignell, Bricnell and many more.

Early Notables of the Briknell family

More information is included under the topic Early Briknell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Briknell family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Briknell or a variant listed above: Richard Brignall, who arrived in Virginia in 1640; and Thomas Brignal, who settled in Ontario in 1861.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook