| ![Show Contents]() Bracey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancestors of the Bracey surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in Cheshire. The name, however, refers to the family's residence in the town of Brecy in the Caen region of France prior their emigration at the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066. 1 Early Origins of the Bracey familyThe surname Bracey was first found in Cheshire, where they held a family seat after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. The name was originally associated with the town of Brecy in the Caen region of France. "The Cheshire family had many branches, from one of which descend the Brasseys now existing, and Brassey the eminent engineer." 2 A family of Brescy, derived from the Sieur de Bracy, of Battle Abbey, was connected with the county of Chester in very early times. The oldest document discovered relative to Wistanston in Cheshire, is a deed, without date, "of William Malbank, Baron of Nantwich, in which he gives notice that he has received of Robert de Bracy, his black nephew, ye homage and service of three Kts. fees - viz: for Wistanaton, &c." 3 Another noted source provides similar details along the same theme: "Robert de Breze and M. de Brece were among the one hundred and nineteen Norman gentlemen who defended Mont St. Michel, against the English in 1423; and three noble families of the name existed in the Duchy. It dates from the Conquest in England. William, son of Radulphus de Braceio (who occurs in a Norman charter of 1080), held Wistaton in Cheshire of the Barony of Nantwich; and the first mesne-lords of the manor, who bore its name, and continued till the time of Henry VI., are conjectured to have been the elder male branch of his descendants." 1 Brace's Leigh, in Worcestershire, bears the name of another branch of the family, that can, with every probability, be traced back to the Domesday owner. "Warmedon and Eston were then held of the Bishop's manor of Norwiche by Urso d'Abitot and by Robert of him" (here follows a description of the property): "to which agreeth the book of tenures, temp. Ed. I., where Robert de Bracy held in Warmedon of William de Beauchamp" (who inherited Urso's domains). "Robert de Bracy 20 Ed. III., held in Warmedon the same land that Robert his ancestor had. In the Rotuli Hundredorum of 1272 I find entered Richard and Elias de Bracy, both of Oxfordshire; and William de Bracy, with his daughters Avicia and Joanna, of Kent. 1 Further to the north in Scotland, Bressay, Burra, and Quarff is a parish in the county of Orkney and Shetland. "The island of Bressay, which is nearly six miles long, and varies in breadth from two to three miles." 4 Early History of the Bracey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bracey research. Another 230 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1270, 1273, 1369, 1570, 1642, 1663, 1805 and 1870 are included under the topic Early Bracey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bracey Spelling VariationsBefore English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Bracey include Brassey, Brassy, Brecy, Braceio, Bresci, Braci, Bracy, Brassye and many more. Early Notables of the Bracey familyMore information is included under the topic Early Bracey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bracey RankingIn the United States, the name Bracey is the 7,291st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5
 Bracey migration to the United States | + |
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:
Bracey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Bracey, who settled in New Haven, Con, in 1620
Bracey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- G Bracey, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 6
| Bracey migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Bracey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. George Bracey, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 7
| Bracey 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: Bracey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Frederic Bracey, aged 21, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1874
- Eliza Bracey, aged 17, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1874
| Contemporary Notables of the name Bracey (post 1700) | + |
- Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Bracey (1937-2017), American minor league baseball pitcher, manager and big league scout
- Claude Bracey (1908-1940), American Olympic sprinter
- Ishman Bracey (1901-1970), American blues singer and guitarist
- Sidney Bracey (1877-1942), Australian-born American stage and film actor
- Stephen Henry Bracey (1950-2006), American professional basketball player
- Frederick Bracey (1887-1960), English cricketer
- Bracey Curtis, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arizona, 1916 8
- Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
|
Bracey migration to the United States 
Bracey migration to Australia 
Bracey migration to New Zealand 
England
Scotland
