Bragge Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought many new words to England from which surnames were formed. Bragge was one of these new Norman names. It was specifically tailored to its first bearer, who was a cheerful or lively person. The name stems from the Old English root, bragge, which means lively, gay, or active. A Norman derivation is slightly different, and suggests that the word stems from the root braggi, which means a hero, or man of great accomplishment.

Bragge Early Origins

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The surname Bragge was first found in Cambridgeshire where they held a family seat from very early times. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Henry Brag as holding estates in Cambridgeshire. The Register of the University of Oxford list Edward Bragge in 1573 and Edmund Bragge in 1601.

Bragge Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bragg, Brag, Braggs, Bragge and others.

Bragge Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bragge research. Another 353 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 110 and 1100 are included under the topic Early Bragge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bragge Early Notables (pre 1700)

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

Bragge In Ireland

Some of the Bragge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bragge or a variant listed above:

Bragge Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary Bragge, who settled in Virginia in 1774

Bragge Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mills Bragge, who settled in Pouch Cove, Newfoundland in 1814 ^[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Joseph Bragge, who settled in Fortune Bay, Newfoundland in 1815 ^[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Elizabeth Bragge, who settled in Pouch Cove, Newfoundland in 1835 ^[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Charles Bragge, who settled in Greenspond, Newfoundland in 1841 ^[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0

Contemporary Notables of the name Bragge (post 1700)

James Bragge (1833-1908), English-born, New Zealand photographer from South Shields, Durham
William Bragge (1823-1884), English civil engineer, antiquarian, and author from Birmingham

Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fidelis et constans
Motto Translation: Faithful and steadfast.

Bragge Family Crest Products

Citations

^ Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
^ Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
^ Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0

Other References

Cook, Chris. English Historical Facts 1603-1688. London: MacMillan, 1980. Print.
Bowman, George Ernest. The Mayflower Reader A Selection of Articales from The Mayflower Descendent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin . Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8).
Library of Congress. American and English Genealogies in the Library of Congress. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. Print.
Colletta, John P. They Came In Ships. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993. Print.
Bolton, Charles Knowles. Bolton's American Armory. Baltimore: Heraldic Book Company, 1964. Print.
Markale, J. Celtic Civilization. London: Gordon & Cremonesi, 1976. Print.
Reaney P.H and R.M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X).
Le Patourel, John. The Norman Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-19-822525-3).
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds. Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8).
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The Bragge Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Bragge Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 17 March 2016 at 11:23.