Brear History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Brear

What does the name Brear mean?

The ancestry of the name Brear dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Yorkshire where it is a well known name for many years. The name literally means at the brere, or someone who lived by a briar patch.

Early Origins of the Brear family

The surname Brear was first found in Shropshire,where Walter le Brer was registered in 1255. Early in the history of the family name it branched to Huntingdonshire, where John le Breres was recorded in 1273, and to Oxfordshire, where Richard le Brer was living in 1279. 1

Early History of the Brear family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brear research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1500, 1612, 1759 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Brear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brear Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Brear have been found, including Brear, Breare, Brer, Breres, Brere, Brears and others.

Early Notables of the Brear family

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

Brear migration to Australia +

Brear Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Brear, English convict who was convicted in York, West Riding Quarter Sessions for 7 years, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 12th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2
Eliza Brear, aged 27, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Melbourne"

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 28th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman