Breeks Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The ancient name Breeks is a Norman name that would have been developed in England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This name was a name given to a cheerful or lively person. The name stems from the Old English root, bragge, which means lively, gay, or active. A Norman derivation is slightly different, and suggests that the word stems from the root braggi, which means a hero, or man of great accomplishment.

Breeks Early Origins

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The surname Breeks was first found in Cambridgeshire where they held a family seat from very early times. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Henry Brag as holding estates in Cambridgeshire. The Register of the University of Oxford list Edward Bragge in 1573 and Edmund Bragge in 1601.

Breeks 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 Breeks were recorded, including Bragg, Brag, Braggs, Bragge and others.

Breeks Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Breeks research. Another 353 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 110 and 1100 are included under the topic Early Breeks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breeks Early Notables (pre 1700)

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

Breeks In Ireland

Some of the Breeks family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

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 Breeks arrived in North America very early: John Bragg who settled in Barbados in 1654; Mary Bragge settled in Virginia in 1774; William Bragg settled in Barbados in 1680 with his wife, three children, and servants.

Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fidelis et constans
Motto Translation: Faithful and steadfast.

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Citations

^ Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
^ Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)

Other References

Cook, Chris. English Historical Facts 1603-1688. London: MacMillan, 1980. Print.
Colletta, John P. They Came In Ships. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993. Print.
MacAulay, Thomas Babington. History of England from the Accession of James the Second 4 volumes. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1879. Print.
Matthews, John. Matthews' American Armoury and Blue Book. London: John Matthews, 1911. Print.
Filby, P. William and Mary K Meyer. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index in Four Volumes. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8).
Shirley, Evelyn Philip. Noble and Gentle Men of England Or Notes Touching The Arms and Descendants of the Ancient Knightley and Gentle Houses of England Arranged in their Respective Counties 3rd Edition. Westminster: John Bowyer Nichols and Sons, 1866. Print.
Bullock, L.G. Historical Map of England and Wales. Edinburgh: Bartholomew and Son, 1971. Print.
Weis, Frederick Lewis, Walter Lee Sheppard and David Faris. Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists Who Came to New England Between 1623 and 1650 7th Edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0806313676).
Hinde, Thomas Ed. The Domesday Book England's Heritage Then and Now. Surrey: Colour Library Books, 1995. Print. (ISBN 1-85833-440-3).
Reaney P.H and R.M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X).
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The Breeks Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Breeks Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 17 March 2016 at 11:23.