Brookefield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Brookefield

What does the name Brookefield mean?

The ancestry of the name Brookefield dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived by a field near a brook. The surname Brookefield is derived from the Old English words broc, which means brook, and feld, which means field.

Early Origins of the Brookefield family

The surname Brookefield was first found in Middlesex 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 Brookefield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brookefield research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brookefield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brookefield Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Brookefield have been found, including Brookefield, Brockfield, Brooksfield, Brokefield and others.

Early Notables of the Brookefield family

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

Brookefield migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Brookefield, or a variant listed above:

Brookefield Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Brookefield, who arrived in Maryland in 1659 1

The Brookefield Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Beware the reaping

Sources +

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)