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Show ContentsBradnay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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Bradnay is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bradnay family lived in the town and parish of Bradney in county Somerset. The name was originally derived from the Old English word "bradeney," which means "the dweller at the broad island."

Early Origins of the Bradnay family

The surname Bradnay was first found in Somerset where the family claim descent from Sir Simon de Bredenie in 1346. 1 This is probably the same gentleman who was listed as Simon de Bradneghe in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. William de Bradney was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. 2 Another source notes that Simon de Bardeneye was Mayor of Bristol in 1276 and Abbas de Bardeneye was listed in Lincolnshire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 3

Early History of the Bradnay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bradnay research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1346 is included under the topic Early Bradnay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bradnay Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Bradney, Bradnie, Bredenie and others.

Early Notables of the Bradnay family

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

Migration of the Bradnay family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bradnay or a variant listed above: Thomas Bradney who settled in Virginia in 1653; Geoffrey Bredenie who landed in America in 1799.
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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