| ![Show Contents]() Colbran History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The origins of the name Colbran are with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the Old Norse personal name Kolbrandr and the Old Swedish forename Kolbrand. The names Colbrand and Colebran appeared in the Domesday Book survey of 1086. 1 Many Scandinavian personal names were left in the British Isles as a legacy of the Viking raids which plagued the coastal regions of Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries, and many of these eventually became Anglo-Saxon surnames. Early Origins of the Colbran familyThe surname Colbran was first found in Sussex where the family 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. Colbrand (Colbron) was a legendary giant from English folklore. Some sources claim he was a Viking giant. According to legend, Guy of Warwick defeated him to prove his love for Lady Felice. The legend dates back to at least the 13th century and was even popular into Shakespearean times when he mentions Colbrand in Henry VIII and King John. By the 18th century, Colbrand became a nickname for someone of considerable size or strength. Colban, Earl of Fife ( c. 1247-1270) was ruler of Fife in Scotland. He was the son of Earl Malcolm and his wife Elen ferch Llywelyn and succeeded his father while still a teenager on Malcolm's death in 1266. Early History of the Colbran familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colbran research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1571, 1572, 1597, 1600, 1627, 1640, 1664, 1667, 1785, 1806 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Colbran History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Colbran Spelling VariationsThe first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Colbran has been spelled many different ways, including Colbrond, Colbron, Colbrand, Colbran and others. Early Notables of the Colbran familyNotables of this surname at this time include: - James Colbrand (c. 1544-1600), of Chichester, Sussex, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Ludgershall in 1571 and 1572 and for Appleby 1597. Continuing the line was Sir John Colbrand...
- Sir Richard Colbrand, 3rd Baronet (died 1664)
Migration of the Colbran familyThousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Colbrans to arrive in North America: William and his wife Marjorie Colbron who settled in Salem Massachusetts in 1630.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Colbran (post 1700) | + |
- Julie Colbran, Welsh political candidate for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney in the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election
- Isabella Angela Colbran (1785-1845), Spanish opera singer, born in Madrid
| Historic Events for the Colbran family | + |
Air New Zealand Flight 901 - Miss. Yvonne Louise Colbran (1934-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 2
- Mr. Cyril Bernard Colbran (1930-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 2
HMS Royal Oak - Percy Colbran (1901-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Fleet Reserve aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 3
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