Show ContentsBratnay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Bratnay

What does the name Bratnay mean?

The name Bratnay arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bratnay family lived in the town and parish of Bradney in county Somerset. The name was originally derived from the Old English word "bradeney," which means "the dweller at the broad island."

Early Origins of the Bratnay family

The surname Bratnay was first found in Somerset where the family claim descent from Sir Simon de Bredenie in 1346. 1 This is probably the same gentleman who was listed as Simon de Bradneghe in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. William de Bradney was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. 2 Another source notes that Simon de Bardeneye was Mayor of Bristol in 1276 and Abbas de Bardeneye was listed in Lincolnshire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 3

Early History of the Bratnay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bratnay research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1346 is included under the topic Early Bratnay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bratnay 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 Bradney, Bradnie, Bredenie and others.

Early Notables of the Bratnay family

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

Migration of the Bratnay family

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 Bratnay or a variant listed above: Thomas Bradney who settled in Virginia in 1653; Geoffrey Bredenie who landed in America in 1799.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)


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