Show ContentsBrody History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Brody family name was first used by descendants of the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. It is a name for someone who lived in the lands of Brodie, in the barony of Moray where the family at one time held territories. King Alexander III had granted their lands. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Gaelic word broth which means ditch.

Early Origins of the Brody family

The surname Brody was first found in Moray, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Brody family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brody research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1311, 1386, 1466, 1550, 1617, 1645 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Brody History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brody Spelling Variations

Scribes in the Middle Ages did not have access to a set of spelling rules. They spelled according to sound, the result was a great number of spelling variations. In various documents, Brody has been spelled Brodie, Brody, Brodey, Brodye, Broadie, Broffee, Broffy, Brophie, Brophey, Brothie, Brophy, Brodley, Brothy and many more.

Early Notables of the Brody family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brody Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brody Ranking

In the United States, the name Brody is the 4,633rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. [1]

Ireland Migration of the Brody family to Ireland

Some of the Brody family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Brody migration to the United States +

The cruelties suffered under the new government forced many to leave their ancient homeland for the freedom of the North American colonies. Those who arrived safely found land, freedom, and opportunity for the taking. These hardy settlers gave their strength and perseverance to the young nations that would become the United States and Canada. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Brody:

Brody Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Alice Brody, aged 28, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 [2]
  • Ann Brody, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 [2]
Brody Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Ada Brody, aged 0, who immigrated to the United States from London, in 1906
  • Alton Brody, aged 9, who landed in America, in 1908
  • Alex Brody, aged 20, who immigrated to America, in 1909
  • Annie Brody, aged 19, who landed in America from Cahis, Ireland, in 1910
  • Annie Brody, aged 29, who settled in America from Wincanton, England, in 1914
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Brody migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Brody Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Michael Brody, (Broder, Brodie), (b. 1812), aged 20, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in County Clare, Ireland for life for burglary, transported aboard the "City of Edinburgh II" on 18th March 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [3]
  • Bridget Brody, aged 19, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Nashwauk" [4]

New Zealand Brody migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Brody Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Anne Brody, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hudson" in 1879
  • John Brody, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Hudson" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Brody (post 1700) +

  • Alexander Brody (1933-2022), Hungarian-American businessman, author, and marketing executive
  • Steven James Brody (1970-2019), known professionally as Brody Stevens, an American stand-up comedian and actor
  • Frances Lasker Brody (1916-2009), American arts advocate, collector and philanthropist
  • James Brody (1941-2010), American composer
  • Adrien Brody (b. 1973), American actor and film producer
  • Morton Aaron Brody (1933-2000), American politician, U.S. District Judge for Maine, 1991-2000; Died in office 2000 [5]
  • Lee B. Brody, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Wayne County 2nd District, 1961 [5]
  • Lawrence J. Brody, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1924; Delegate to Wisconsin convention to ratify 21st amendment; Elected 1933 [5]
  • Mrs. J. K. Brody, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oregon, 1972 [5]
  • Ira Brody, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Tennessee, 2008 [5]
  • ... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 11th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/city-of-edinburgh
  4. South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nashwauk 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook