Show ContentsBrachs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Brachs

What does the name Brachs mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Brachs family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found near a newly cultivated piece of land. The surname Brachs is derived from the Old English word bræc. 1

Early Origins of the Brachs family

The surname Brachs was first found in Shropshire where Peter de la Breche was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1221. A few years later, Peter de la Brach was listed in Surrey in 1248 and Philip atte Breche was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Later again, Rose atte Brache was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Bedfordshire in 1309. Robert le Brechere was listed at Oseney, Oxfordshire in 1245, while William le Brechere was found in Cornwall in 1297. 1

Early History of the Brachs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brachs research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brachs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brachs Spelling Variations

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 Brachs include Breach, Brech, Britch, Breashears, Breashear and many more.

Early Notables of the Brachs family

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

Migration of the Brachs family

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 Brachs or a variant listed above: William Breach junior who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1844; A. Breach arrived in San Francisco Cal. in 1852; Adam Brech arrived in Philadelphia in 1743.



  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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