Show ContentsBraen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Braen is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in any one of a number of similarly named settlements. Bramham and Braham were found in the West Riding of Yorkshire and Brantham was found in Suffolk. Braham Hall was in Essex, as was Bream's Farm.

Early Origins of the Braen family

The surname Braen was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire, at Braham, a parish, in the Upper division of the wapentake of Barkstone-Ash. "A battle was fought here in 1408, between Sir Thomas Rokeby, sheriff of Yorkshire, and the Earl of Northumberland, in which the earl was defeated and slain, and by which the possession of the county was secured to Henry IV. " 1

Early rolls revealed a wide-spread use of the name with a variety of spellings: Eustace de Braham in Colchester, Essex (1189-1199); Matthew de Bramham, de Braham in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219; and Agnes de Brame in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Alan de Braham, Suffolk; Richard de Brahain, Suffolk and Roger de Braham, Suffolk. 3

Early History of the Braen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Braen research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1379, 1500, 1555, 1600, 1602, 1660, 1681, 1707, 1718 and 1751 are included under the topic Early Braen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Braen Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Braen are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Braen include: Braham, Braim, Bramham, Brame, Braem and others.

Early Notables of the Braen family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Johannes de Brame, a prominent 14th century landholder in Yorkshire.Robert Braham (fl. 1555), edited in 1555 'The Auncient Historic and onely trewe and syncere Cronicle of the warres betwixte the Grecians and the Troyans … translated into Englyshe verse by J. Lydgate,' 4Sir Arnold Braemes (1602-1681), was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660; and Richard Brind (died 1718), was an English organist and composer, Organist and Master of the Choristers of St Paul's Cathedral (1707-1718.)John Braham was left an orphan at an early age, and...
Another 121 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Braen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Braen family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Braen or a variant listed above: Francis Bramham who arrived in Virginia 1756.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, 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)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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