| ![Show Contents]() Browns History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of BrownsWhat does the name Browns mean? In most instances, the Browns family name came to England with the Norman Conquest of England of 1066. Deriving from the Old French, Middle English "brun," it was originally a nickname for someone who may have had brown hair, brown eyes, or perhaps even dressed habitually in brown. It is also possible that some instances of the name in Britain derived from a short form of an Old English personal name of Germanic roots, such as Brunwine or Brungar. Early Origins of the Browns familyThe surname Browns was first found in Cumberland, where "a family of this name were the possessors of several estates in Cumberland shortly after the Norman Conquest. Gamel, son of Brun came into possession of Bothel (now Boode) in the time of Henry I (1100-1135). Gilchrist, son of Bruun witnessed a charter by R. son of Dunegal to the Hospital of S. Peter of York c. 1136, Patric Brun witnessed resignation of land of Weremundebi (Warmanbie in Annandale) and Anant between 1194-1214. 1 "Gualterus le Brun, Baron of Colstoun, appears, on the parchment roll of the See of Glasgow, as one of the witnesses to the inquisition made by Prince David, in 1116, the oldest Scottish document extant." 2 Ricardus Brun witnessed a charter by Ebrardus de Penkathleht (Pencaitland near Edinburgh) to the church of S. Cuthbert of Durham in the reign of William the Lion. Several individuals of this name are recorded in the thirteenth century, but what connection, if any, existed between them is not known. Robert Brune witnessed a gift of land to the Hospital of Soltre c. 1250-1266. Richard Broun, witness in Irvine, 1260, and another Richard Brun was an assizer in Elgin, of which place he was an inhabitant in 1261. William Brun, who witnessed a charter of Donald, earl of Mar, of the lands of Dorlaw or Dronlaw c. 1279-1294 is probably William Brun, witness in Dundee, 1281." 1 Early History of the Browns familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Browns research. Another 272 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1331, 1332, 1395, 1405, 1426, 1627, 1630, 1685, 1688, 1771, 1800, 1810, 1859 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Browns History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Browns Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Brown, Broun, Brun and others. Early Notables of the Browns familyJohn Brown (1627-1685), known as the Christian Carrier, he was a Protestant Covenanter from Priesthill, Ayrshire; Sir Patrick Broun, 1st Baronet of Colstoun (c.1630-1688); Charles Brockden Brown (1771-1810), an American novelist and editor; and John Brown "of Ossawatomie"...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Browns Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Browns family to IrelandSome of the Browns family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Browns migration to the United States | + |
Browns Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Samuel Browns, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1799 3
Browns Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- J H Browns, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- 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)
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