Brites History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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• England

Etymology of Brites

The origins of the Brites name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in the village of Bright, in Cheshire. The name could have also been a nickname for someone who was bright or fair, or it could have been from the Old English word beorht which means bright. "Beorht was the name of a Northum­brian ealdorman who was slain by the Picts, A.D. 699. " 1

The Anglo Saxon word beort, means brilliant, illustrious. 2

Early Origins of the Brites family

Early History of the Brites family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brites research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1551, 1588, 1615, 1619, 1643, 1654, 1655, 1688 and 1882 are included under the topic Early Brites History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brites Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Brites were recorded, including Bright, Brite and others.

Early Notables of the Brites family

Timothie Bright, M.D. (1551?-1615), an early British physician and clergyman, the inventor of modern shorthand. He is thought to have been born near Sheffield. "The art of writing by signs originated among the Greeks. Few specimens of Greek shorthand are extant, and little is known on the subject. From the Greeks the knowledge of the art passed to the Romans, among whom it was introduced by Cicero, who devised many characters, which were termed notæ Tironianæ, from Cicero's freedman Tiro, a great proficient in the art. In the darkness which overwhelmed the world on the fall of the Roman Empire the...
Another 145 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brites Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brites family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Brites family emigrate to North America: Francis Bright who came to Salem, Massachusetts in 1629; Henry Bright settled in New England in 1630; John Bright settled in Virginia in 1651; Robert Bright arrived in Virginia in 1653.