| ![Show Contents]() Brakel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The Anglo-Saxon name Brakel comes from the family having resided at a clearing in an area with a lush growth of bracken, a type of fern. Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire with a very interesting history. Originally the town was known as Brachelai or Brackele, and owned in 1086 by Earl Alberic. By the 11th and 12th centuries Brackley was part of the Hundred of Odboldistow and in the Manor of Halse. Richard I (The Lionheart) named five official sites for jousting tournaments so that such events could not be used as local wars, and Brackley was one of these. Henry III attacked and destroyed the castle in 1173. King John and the barons were originally to have signed Magna Carta at Brackley Castle, but they eventually did so at Runnymede. Early Origins of the Brakel familyThe surname Brakel was first found in Northamptonshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Early History of the Brakel familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brakel research. Another 257 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1202, 1273, 1332, 1500, 1540, 1617, 1672, 1697, 1704, 1729 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Brakel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Brakel Spelling VariationsBrakel has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Brackley, Brackele, Brackely, Braceley, Bracely and others. Early Notables of the Brakel familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Egerton Brackley (1540-1617), British judge and statesman.John Brekell (1697-1769), was a Presbyterian minister, born at North Meols, Lancashire, in 1697, and was educated for...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brakel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Brakel familyIn an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Brakels to arrive on North American shores: Daniel Bracely who arrived in Philadelphia in 1875.
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