Early Origins of the Brekon family
The surname Brekon was first found in
Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern
Scotland, and present day Council Area of
Angus, formerly known as Forfar or
Forfarshire, where they held a
family seat in the town of Brechin.
"This place derives its name, of Gaelic origin, from its situation on an acclivity rising from the banks of the river South Esk; it is of very considerable antiquity, and was formerly the seat of a diocese, the cathedral of which is now the church of the parish. " [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Isaac of Brechin in 1178 was one of the first to use the name as a surname. In their early history they seemed to be closely related to the church and church activities, and frequent mention is made of their relationship with the Bishops of Brechin. Conjecturally this Isaac may have been the spearhead of many of the Norman families invited north by King David I of Scotland about 1130, and granted lands at Brechin. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Sir David Brechin (d. 1321), Lord of Brechin, a royal burgh in Angusshire, was eldest son of Sir David of Brechin, one of the barons of Scotland who attended Edward I into France 1297. "His mother, whose Christian name is not known, was one of the seven sisters of King Robert Bruce, but his father seems to have favoured the English side up to the king's victory at Inverary in 1308, when he retired to his castle of Brechin. "[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Early History of the Brekon family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brekon research.
Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1234, 1296, 1320, 1330, 1471, 1541, 1600 and 1672 are included under the topic Early Brekon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Brekon Spelling Variations
The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different
spelling variations in a single document. Brekon has been spelled Brechin, Breechin, Breichen, Brichan, Brichane, Breching and many more.
Early Notables of the Brekon family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Brekon Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Brekon family to the New World and Oceana
The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American
War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them: Thomas Breching who landed in North America in 1761.
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Citations
- ^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- ^ Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- ^ Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print