Bronwen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Wales

Etymology of Bronwen

The Bronwen surname is derived from the female Welsh forename Branwen or Brangwain. These names are derived from the Welsh words "bran," which means "raven," and "wen" or "gwen," which mean "fair." This is a metronymic surname, that is, one created from the name of a female ancestor.

Early Origins of the Bronwen family

Early History of the Bronwen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bronwen research. Another 242 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1283, 1300, 1500 and 1672 are included under the topic Early Bronwen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bronwen Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Bronwen has occasionally been spelled Brandwin, Brandewin, Brandwine, Bryngwyn, Branwen, Brangwain, Brangwyne, Brangwayn and many more.

Early Notables of the Bronwen family

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

Migration of the Bronwen family

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in search of land, work, and freedom. These immigrants greatly contributed to the rapid development of the new nations of Canada and the United States. They also added a rich and lasting cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Bronwen: a number of settlers who arrived in the New World by the 19th century.