Show ContentsBrighty History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Brighty Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Brighty

What does the name Brighty mean?

The name Brighty is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal given name the Brighteve. The Brighteves lived for several centuries in the county of Norfolk at the as the villages of Brightey and Brighty. It is thought the name came from the Old English word Beorhtgifu meaning "fair gift."

Brightiff is from the metathesized form Brihtgifu, a woman's name still in use in the 13th century. 1

Early Origins of the Brighty family

The surname Brighty was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where the singular names Bricteva and Britheue were recorded. 2 Later, Godric Brihteve filius was recorded at Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk c. 1095 and the name Birghiva was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Hertfordshire in 1208. Angerus filius Brihtiue was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1219 and Adam Brightyeue and Thomas Brytheue were both listed in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk 1326, 1327. 1 Edmund Brightyeve or Britiff was listed in Norfolk in 1467 3.

John Beriffe was listed as holding lands in Essex in 1496 and later, Richard Brygthewe, Brighteve was listed in Norfolk in 1479, 1508. 1

Back in Norfolk, we found John Brightif listed there in 1559. 3

Early History of the Brighty family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brighty research. Another 550 words (39 lines of text) covering the years 1095, 1219, 1327, 1349, 1369, 1377, 1467, 1497, 1550, 1559, 1660, 1665, 1666, 1671, 1681, 1702, 1705, 1715, 1716, 1726, 1733, 1734, 1737, 1741, 1743, 1749, 1758, 1770 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Brighty History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brighty Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Brighty include Brighteve, Brihteue, Brihtieu, Brightyeue, Brytheue, Brightyeve, Britiff, Brightif, Britiffe and many more.

Early Notables of the Brighty family

John Brightif, the Rector of Francham Magna in Norfolk in the 1550s. Robert Brightiffe or Britiffe (c. 1666-1749), of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, was an English lawyer and Whig politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1715 to 1734 and...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brighty Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brighty family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: a number of settlers who arrived by the 19th century.

Contemporary Notables of the name Brighty (post 1700) +

  • William Brighty Rands (1828-1882), English author, ‘the laureate of the nursery,’ who wrote under the pseudonyms of Henry Holbeach and Matthew Browne
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Steven L Brighty, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 4
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html

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