Show ContentsBrammer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Brammer is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in Bramhall in Greater Manchester. Bromale was a township in the parish of Stockport.

Early Origins of the Brammer family

The surname Brammer was first found in Greater Manchester where the place dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it is listed as Bramale (Bromale.) 1 In more recent years, the township is known as Bramhall and is found in the parish and union of Stockport, hundred of Macclesfield, Chester.

"The manorial mansion is a curious edifice of timber and brick plastered over; it stands on elevated ground, and possesses great interest, as part of the wooden building is supposed to date as far back as the reign of John. At the south-east angle is the domestic chapel, apparently of the time of Richard III., having a flat panelled roof, and a considerable quantity of painted glass in the windows." 2

The place name literally means "nook of land where broom grows" derived from the Old English words "brom" + "halh" 3.

The first record of the family was listed in the source, Earwaker's East Cheshire where Mathew de Bromale was listed as holding lands in Cheshire, temp. 1150. 4

Some of the family has Scottish roots as noted by Broomhall Castle, built in 1874, located in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. It is still in good condition and today is in use as a hotel.

Early History of the Brammer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brammer research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1502, 1594, 1595, 1602, 1616, 1628, 1633, 1635, 1639, 1642, 1644, 1653, 1654, 1659, 1660, 1661, 1662, 1663, 1664, 1666 and 1781 are included under the topic Early Brammer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brammer Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Brammer has been recorded under many different variations, including Bramhall, Bramall, Bramhill, Brammall, Bramwell and others.

Early Notables of the Brammer family

Notables of the family at this time include John Bramhall, Mayor of Pontefract in 1502; and John Bramhall (1594 -1663) an Anglican theologian and apologist, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland. He was born in Pontefract...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brammer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brammer Ranking

In the United States, the name Brammer is the 8,409th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Brammer family to Ireland

Some of the Brammer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 250 words (18 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Brammer migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Brammer or a variant listed above:

Brammer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Anton Brammer, aged 42, who landed in Missouri in 1841 6
  • Thomas Brammer, who landed in Indiana in 1852 6
  • J H C Brammer, who arrived in Arkansas in 1891 6
  • Dorothea Brammer, aged 45, who landed in America, in 1893
Brammer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Amy Brammer, aged 25, who landed in America from Ilkeston, in 1904
  • Else Brammer, aged 36, who immigrated to the United States from Harburg, Germany, in 1913
  • Charles Brammer, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States, in 1918
  • Carl Brammer, aged 29, who settled in America from Kiel, Germany, in 1921
  • Fred Brammer, aged 41, who landed in America, in 1921
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brammer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Brammer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Brammer, British convict who was convicted in Norfolk, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 29th September 1831, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
  • Mr. George Brammer, (Bramwell), English convict who was convicted in Staffordshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "David Clarke" on 3rd June 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Brammer (post 1700) +

  • Billy Lee Brammer (1929-1978), American author, journalist, and political staffer in Texas and Washington, D.C
  • Doug Brammer (b. 1963), American comic book writer
  • Mark Dewitt Brammer (b. 1958), former professional American football player
  • Joseph Brammer (b. 1983), American mixed martial artist
  • David Brammer (b. 1975), English former footballer
  • Philipp Brammer (b. 1969), German actor and voice actor
  • Julius Brammer (1877-1943), Austrian librettist and lyricist

RMS Lusitania
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Brammer, (née Bott), American 2nd Class passenger from Trenton, New Jersey, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9
  • Miss Edith Brammer, American 2nd Class passenger from Trenton, New Jersey, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9


The Brammer 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: Sanguine Christe tuo
Motto Translation: By Thy Blood O' Christ.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1831
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-clarke
  9. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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