Bretter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Bretter is a name that was formed by the Anglo-Saxon society of old Britain. The name was thought to have been used for someone who once worked as a person who was the Brevetour or private clerk. This person would write brevets for his lord, as well as write down household expenses.

Early Origins of the Bretter family

The surname Bretter was first found in Cambridgeshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Bretter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bretter research. Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1221, 1275, 1285, 1327, 1357 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Bretter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bretter Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Bretter include Breviter, Brevitor, Brevetur, Brevetor, Brefeter, Breftour and many more.

Early Notables of the Bretter family

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

Bretter migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Bretter were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Bretter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anthoni Bretter, who arrived in New York, NY in 1710 1

Citations +

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)