Show ContentsBranker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Branker family

The surname Branker was first found in Wiltshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Melsham, held by Liseman, a steward of the King who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086.

Early History of the Branker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Branker research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1181, 1275, 1327, 1510, 1600, 1626, 1630, 1633, 1676 and 1801 are included under the topic Early Branker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Branker Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Brunker, Brunger, Brouncker, Branker, Branger, Brounker and many more.

Early Notables of the Branker family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Thomas Branker (Brancker) (1633-1676), an English mathematician from Barnstaple, Devon. He was born at Barnstaple in August 1633, the son of another Thomas Brancker, a graduate of Exeter College, Oxfo...


Branker migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Branker Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Branker, aged 22, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Mary & John" 2
  • Mrs. Abigail Branker, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in1630 aboard the ship "Mary & John" 3
Branker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jane Branker, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1862 2
  • Nephi Branker, aged 7, who landed in New York in 1862 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Branker (post 1700) +

  • Don E. Branker (b. 1946), American music event promoter and emcee, organizer of the California Jam and California Jam II rock festivals
  • Anthony Branker (b. 1958), American musician and educator


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. 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)
  3. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm


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