Contents [hide]

Browning History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Browning History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Browning is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was name for a person with brown hair or a dark complexion. The surname Browning is derived from the Old English word bruning, which was in common usage until the 14th century. 1 This word is itself a derivative of the word brun, which means brown. The name was in usage as a personal name as early as 1086, when Bruning de Cestretona was recorded as a holding lands in Cambridgeshire. 2

Early Origins of the Browning family

The surname Browning was first found in Cambridgeshire but by the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the name had scattered throughout most of ancient Britain. By example, that rolls listed Henry Brunwyne, Staffordshire; John Brunwyn, Suffolk; Richard Brunwyn, Lincolnshire; Avice Bruning, Cambridgeshire; John Bruning, Norfolk; Roger Bruning, London; and Ivo Brunig, Huntingdonshire. 3

Kirby's Quest listed the name as a forename and a surname: Brounyng le Fox, Somerset, 1 Edward I; and Brounyng Bycheheye, Somerset, 1 Edward I (during the first year of King Edward I's reign.) 4

"Browning is an old and often distinguished county name: there was an ancient family of this name at Cowley, [in Oxfordshire] where they long resided." 5

As time moved on, spellings changed. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Agnes Brownyng, a spelling closer to the spellings used today. 3

A little further to the north in Scotland, early records there included John Brwnyng, as one of the "burgenses rure manentes" of Aberdeen, 1317, and "Sir John Browning was sheriff there in 1328. Willelmus Bronnyng in the parish of Fyvy was excommunicated in 1382. " 6

Early History of the Browning family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Browning research. Another 199 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1291, 1328, 1382, 1580, 1584, 1634, 1639, 1647, 1658, 1664, 1667 and 1682 are included under the topic Early Browning History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Browning Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Browning have been found, including Browning, Brownyng, Bruning, Brownigg, Brownygg and many more.

Early Notables of the Browning family

Notables of the family at this time include

John Browning (fl. 1584), English divine, matriculated as a sizar at Trinity College, Cambridge, on 14 Nov. 1658. On 8 July 1580 Browning was created D.D. at Oxford
Another John Browning was rector of Easton Parva, Essex, from 22 April 1634 till 1639, and of Easton Magna from 9 Nov. 1639. 7

Browning Ranking

In the United States, the name Browning is the 684^th most popular surname with an estimated 42,279 people with that name. 8 However, in Australia, the name Browning is ranked the 859^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,606 people with that name. 9

Browning migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Browning, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were:

Browning Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Browning, aged 27, who landed in Virginia in 1621 10
William Browning, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 10
Geo Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1635 10
Jon Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1635 10
Joseph Browning, aged 20, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Thomas" 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Browning Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jasse Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1714 10
Humph Browning, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 10
James Browning, who landed in New England in 1720 10
Thus Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1724 10

Browning Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Browning, who landed in New York in 1813 10
H Browning, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 10
Mrs. Browning, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 10
A Browning, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 10
C Browning, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Browning migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Browning Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Ann Browning, who settled in Newfoundland in 1679 11

Browning Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

William Browning, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Browning Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss C Browning, who landed in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862

Browning migration to Australia +

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

Browning Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Browning, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asiatic" on 5th June 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
George Browning, English convict from Derby, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. Thomas Browning, English convict who was convicted in Devon, Englandfor 7 years, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
Charles Browning, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 15
James Browning, English convict from Huntingdon, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Browning migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Browning Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Rebecca Browning, aged 16, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1842 16
George Browning, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gipsy" in 1854
Mr. George Browning, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gipsey" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854 17
Mrs. Browning, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gipsey" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854 17
Mr. William Browning, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gipsey" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Browning (post 1700) +

John Moses Browning (1855-1926), American gunsmith and the most important figure in the development of modern automatic and semi-automatic firearms and is credited with 128 gun patents
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), née Moulton-Barrett, one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era, perhaps best known for her poems "How Do I Love Thee?" (1845) and Aurora Leigh (1856) 18
Ricou Browning (1930-2023), American film director, actor, producer, screenwriter, underwater cinematographer, and stuntman, best known for his underwater stunt work, especially in the 1954 film Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956), co-creator of the series Flipper
Thomas Leo "Tom" Browning (1960-2022), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds (1984–1994) and the Kansas City Royals (1995)
Calvin Duane "Cal" Browning (1938-2022), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1960
Edmond Lee Browning (1929-2016), American bishop, 24th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church
James L. Browning Jr. (1933-2016), American jurist, United States Attorney for the Northern District of California from 1969 to 1977
Brigadier-General Albert Jesse Browning (1899-1948), American Director Purchases Division Army Services Forces (1942-1944) 19
Orville Hickman Browning (1806-1881), American politician, U.S. Secretary of the Interior (1866-69)
Chauncey H. Browning Jr. (1934-2010), American Democratic Party politician, West Virginia State Attorney General; Elected 1968, 1972; Elected unopposed 1976, 1980 20
... (Another 63 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Browning family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Robert Browning, English Petty Officer Stoker from, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 21
Mr. P A Browning, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 21

USS Arizona

Mr. Robert J. Browning, American Seaman Second Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 22
Mr. Tilmon David Browning, American Seaman First Class from West Virginia, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 22

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 26th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1829 with 176 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1829
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 5 Feb. 2019
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, November 3) Albert Browning. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Browning/Albert_Jesse/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html