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Origins Available: |
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The ancestors of the bearers of the Broadhearst family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Cheshire where the name is derived from a now unknown place in the east of that county. The place-name Broadhurst is derived from the old English terms brade, which meant broad or wide, and hurst, a word that meant forest or wood. 1
The surname Broadhearst was first found in Cheshire where "the Broadhursts have long been inhabitants of Prestbury and Gawsworth." 2 Alternatively, the name could have originated from "a manor in the parish of Horsted Keynes, co. Sussex" 3 or another source notes that the name was also "a location name in Lincolnshire." 4
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Broadhearst research. Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Broadhearst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Broadhearst include Broadhurst, Brodhurst and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Broadhearst Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Broadhearst or a variant listed above: Joseph Broadhurst who arrived in Philadelphia in 1816. Abraham, Charles, George, John, Joseph, Samuel, Stephen, and Thomas Broadhurst all arrived in Philadelphia between 1845 and 1870..