Show ContentsBrundum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Brundum first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in one of the settlements named Brandon in Durham, Norfolk, Suffolk, or Warwickshire, or in Brundon in Essex.

Early Origins of the Brundum family

The surname Brundum was first found in one of the many villages named Brandon or Brendon in England. The place names are frequent due to the literal origin of "hill where broom grows," from the Old English "brom" + "dun." 1

The oldest place name was Brandon, Lincolnshire which dates back to 1060 while the Suffolk, Warwickshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire locals are all listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 with various spellings used at that time: Brandona, Suffolk; Brandune, Warwickshire; Brandun, Norfolk; and Brandune, Lincolnshire. 2

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG (c.1484-1545) lived in Westhorpe, Suffolk. "The Hall, a noble mansion, at one time the residence of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, was taken down about the middle of the last century; his royal consort, Mary, died here in 1533." 3

The same Duke of Suffolk also held lands and a family seat at Beckenham in Kent. "In the reign of Henry VIII., Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, entertained that monarch when on his journey to visit Anne of Cleves, with great pomp, at the manor-house." 3

There are many more notables of the name but for now we must pause to mention Richard Brandon (d. 1649) as he was the executioner of Charles I. He was the son of Gregory Brandon, a common hangman of London in the early part of the seventeenth century. 4

Early History of the Brundum family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brundum research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1484, 1485, 1514, 1516, 1517, 1519, 1534, 1535, 1537, 1545, 1547, 1551, 1559, 1649 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Brundum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brundum Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Brundum has appeared include Brandon, Branden, Brandan and others.

Early Notables of the Brundum family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir William Brandon (d. 1485), who was Henry Tudor's standard-bearer at the Battle of Bosworth; his son Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle (c.1484-1545), brother-in-law to Henry VIII; Henry Brandon, 1st Earl of Lincoln (1516-1534); Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk (1517-1559), maiden name Lady Frances Brandon, niece of Henry VIII; Lady Eleanor Brandon (1519-1547), the third child...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brundum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Brundum family to Ireland

Some of the Brundum family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brundum family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Brundum arrived in North America very early: Jacob Brandon who settled in Jamaica in 1741; John Brandon settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1715; William Brandon settled in Connecticut in 1630; Martin Brandon settled in Virginia in 1626.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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