Briton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Briton is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Briton family lived in Devon. The name is a reference to the French province of Brettagne or Brittany, from where this family arrived in 1066. ^[1]

Early Origins of the Briton family

The surname Briton was first found in Devon, where they held a family seat from the 11th century. Originating in Brittany, ^[2] the name was introduced to England in 1066 with Auvrai le Breton being present at the Norman Conquest in 1066 under the banner of Alain le Roux. William the Conqueror rewarded Auvrai for his service with lordships in Devon. Later some of the family were found at Great Witchingham in Norfolk. "The church is a handsome structure, chiefly in the later English style, with a lofty square embattled tower [holds the remains of] John Britton, Bishop of Hereford, who died in 1275." ^[3]

Important Dates for the Briton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Briton research. Another 212 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1164, 1166, 1166, 1248, 1279, 1379, 1599, 1654, 1771, 1806, 1294, 1297, 1644, 1714 and are included under the topic Early Briton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briton Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Briton family name include Brittoner, Brettoner, Brittany, Briton, Breton, Bretun, Bruton, Bretener, Bretoner, Brettner, Brittain and many more.

Early Notables of the Briton family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Ranulph le Breton, canon of St. Pauls in the 13th century; William Briton, a prominent theologian of the 14th century; a bearer of Britain, who was...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Briton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Briton family to Ireland

Some of the Briton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briton migration to the United States

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Briton family to immigrate North America:

Briton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• James Briton, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1813 ^[4]
• Martha Briton, aged 20, who landed in America in 1821 ^[4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Briton (post 1700)

• Henry Briton Kerby (1914-1971), British Conservative Member of Parliament for Arundel and Shoreham
• Briton Hadden (1898-1929), American co-founder of Time magazine with his Yale classmate Henry Luce

Citations

1. ^ The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
2. ^ Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
3. ^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
4. ^ Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)