Bresnan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancient Bresnan surname is derived from the Irish Gaelic "ó Brosnacháin," which may be derived from the place name Brosna in Kerry. 1
Early Origins of the Bresnan family
The surname Bresnan was first found in Kerry (Irish: Ciarraí) part of the former County Desmond (14th-17th centuries), located in Southwestern Ireland, in Munster province, where they held a family seat as Chiefs and kin to both the Dunns and the Dempseys. Irish history, after the Norman Conquest of England, was strongly influenced by the invasion of Strongbow in 1172, almost equal to the enormous Irish cultural impact on England Scotland, Wales and the whole of Europe before the Norman Conquest from the 1st to 7th centuries. Many Irish clanns, sept names were intermixed and family groupings became almost indistinguishable.
Early History of the Bresnan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bresnan research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bresnan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Bresnan Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Brosnan, Brosnahan, O'Brosnan, Brosnochain, Bresnahan, Bresnan, Brosna, Brosnihan and many more.
Early Notables of the Bresnan family
More information is included under the topic Early Bresnan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Bresnan migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Bresnan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- John Bresnan, who arrived in New York in 1647
Bresnan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- John Bresnan, aged 32, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 2
- Michael Bresnan, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1875 2
- Mischael Bresnan, who settled in Allegheny in 1875
Bresnan 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:
Bresnan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Cornelius Bresnan, aged 31, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rakaia" in 1878
- Johanna Bresnan, aged 28, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rakaia" in 1878
- Kate Bresnan, aged 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rakaia" in 1878
Citations +
- MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
- 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)