Braunche History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Braunche

What does the name Braunche mean?

The ancestors of the Braunche family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in the county of Westmorland (now part of Cumbria), where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the Norman Conquest. The surname Braunche comes from the Old English word branche, which means branch. While it is unclear as to how this word came to be used as a surname, it may have been a topographical surname type, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree.

Early Origins of the Braunche family

The surname Braunche was first found in Westmorland where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. The family were from St. Denis de Branche, and the name Braunch appears on the Honour Roll of Battell Abbey of those companions of Duke William Normandy at Hastings.

Early History of the Braunche family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Braunche research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1169, 1238, 1331 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Braunche History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Braunche Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Braunche were recorded, including Branch, Branche, Braunche, Braunch and others.

Early Notables of the Braunche family

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

Migration of the Braunche family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Braunche arrived in North America very early: Christopher Branch who settled in Virginia in 1624; with his wife Mary and son Thomas; Anthony Branch settled in Virginia in 1643; John Branch settled in Virginia in 1639.