Show ContentsBricknell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Bricknell surname lived in or near the village of Brignall near Greta Bridge close to Barnard Castle, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. It was transferred to County Durham for administrative and ceremonial purposes on 1 April 1974.

Early Origins of the Bricknell family

The surname Bricknell was first found in Yorkshire. However, Bracknell is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire. It dates back to AD 942 as Braccan heal, and may meant "nook of land belonging to a man called Bracca", from the Old English personal name + halh. 1

Early History of the Bricknell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bricknell research. Another 264 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1313, 1327, 1379, 1400, 1409, 1500, 1664, 1675 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Bricknell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bricknell Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bricknell are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bricknell include: Brignall, Brignal, Brigenehall, Brigenhale, Briggenale, Brigkenhall, Brignell, Bricnell and many more.

Early Notables of the Bricknell family

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


United States Bricknell migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bricknell or a variant listed above:

Bricknell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Walter Bricknell, aged 38, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Limon" from Port Limon, Costa Rica 2
  • Horace Bricknell, aged 20, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Port Bowen" from Glasgow, Scotland 2
  • Frank Bricknell, aged 45, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Saxonia" from London, England 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Bricknell (post 1700) +

  • Mr. Martin Charles Marshall Bricknell C.B., Q.H.P., British Acting Lieutenant General, Surgeon General of the British Armed Forces for the British Army, was appointed a Companion of the order of Bath (C.B) on 29th December 2018 by her Majesty The Queen 3
  • Gary Arthur Bricknell (1954-1977), South African first-class cricketer
  • Major General Martin Bricknell, British Army officer who currently serves as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Health)
  • Bruce Bricknell (1935-1982), New Zealand cricket umpire who stood in one Test match, New Zealand vs. Australia, in 1982


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  3. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


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