Bromhead History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient history of the Bromhead name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Yorkshire, where the name Broomhead was a place-name describing a hilltop with broom bushes.

Early Origins of the Bromhead family

The surname Bromhead was first found in Yorkshire, where the family held "an estate in Hallamshire which passed from the family through an heiress so early as temp. Richard II." 1 “This surname with several variants is still well known in the West Riding.” 2

Early History of the Bromhead family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bromhead research. Another 226 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1290, 1377, 1399, 1440, 1500, 1667, 1772 and 1784 are included under the topic Early Bromhead History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bromhead 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 Bromhead include Broomhead, Bromeheuede, Bromehed, Broomehed, Bromhead, Brumhead, Brumit and many more.

Early Notables of the Bromhead family

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

Migration of the Bromhead family

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 Bromhead or a variant listed above: Joseph Broomhead, who arrived in New York city in 1819; George Broomhead, who was naturalized in Wisconsin in 1862; James Broomhead who arrived in Philadelphia in 1870.

Contemporary Notables of the name Bromhead (post 1700) +

Lieutenant-General Sir Gonville Bromhead (1758-1822), 1st Baronet of Thurlby Hall, English peer and officer
Stephen Bruce Bromhead (1957-2023), Australian politician, member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (2011-2023)
Sir John Desmond Gonville Bromhead (b. 1943), 6th Baronet of Thurlby Hall, English peer
Sir Benjamin Denis Gonville Bromhead (1900-1981), 5th Baronet of Thurlby Hall, English peer
Sir Benjamin Parnell Bromhead (1838-1935), 4th Baronet of Thurlby Hall, English peer
Sir Edmund de Gonville Bromhead (1791-1870), 3rd Baronet of Thurlby Hall, English peer
Major Gonville Bromhead (1845-1892), British Army officer, Victoria Cross recipient for his actions in the defence of Rorke's Drift in January 1879 3
Peter Bromhead (b. 1933), New Zealand cartoonist and illustrator 4
Sir Edward Thomas Ffrench Bromhead (1789-1855), 2nd Baronet, Irish mathematician
Dugald Bromhead Babbage (1823-1881), Australian surveyor, son of Benjamin Herschel Babbage

The Bromhead Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Concordia Res Crescunt
Motto Translation: Things increase by union.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Gonville Bromhead. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Gonville Bromhead. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonville_Bromhead
Peter Bromhead. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Peter Bromhead. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Bromhead