Show ContentsBrich History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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  • England
Brich Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Brich

What does the name Brich mean?

The ancient roots of the Brich family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Brich comes from when the family lived near a newly cultivated piece of land. The surname Brich is derived from the Old English word bræc. 1

Early Origins of the Brich family

The surname Brich 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 Brich family

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

Brich Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Brich has appeared include Breach, Brech, Britch, Breashears, Breashear and many more.

Early Notables of the Brich family

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

Migration of the Brich family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Brich arrived in North America very early: William Breach junior who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1844; A. Breach arrived in San Francisco Cal. in 1852; Adam Brech arrived in Philadelphia in 1743.
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Ernest Brich, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 2
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html

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