Breack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Breack

What does the name Breack mean?

The ancestors of the name Breack date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence near a newly cultivated piece of land. The surname Breack is derived from the Old English word bræc. 1

Early Origins of the Breack family

The surname Breack was first found in Shropshire where Peter de la Breche was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1221. A few years later, Peter de la Brach was listed in Surrey in 1248 and Philip atte Breche was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Later again, Rose atte Brache was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Bedfordshire in 1309. Robert le Brechere was listed at Oseney, Oxfordshire in 1245, while William le Brechere was found in Cornwall in 1297. 1

Early History of the Breack family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Breack research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Breack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breack Spelling Variations

Breack 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. Many variations of the name Breack have been found, including Breach, Brech, Britch, Breashears, Breashear and many more.

Early Notables of the Breack family

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

Breack migration to the United States +

In 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 Breacks to arrive on North American shores:

Breack Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

David Breack, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1755 2

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)