Show ContentsMcBratney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the McBratney family

The surname McBratney was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they held a family seat. In a strange convolution of heritage and translation from the Gaelic, this name, Cretney is descended from MacBratney, or MacBhreatnaich, the Gaelic, meaning a son of the Strathclyde Briton, or children of the Britons, who settled amongst the Gaels. From their home lands in Clontag and Knockane in Galloway in Western Scotland they descended to Martin Birty who appears in records in 1471. They were known as the Clann a'Bhreatannich, and were originally from the Island of Gigha off Kintyre, a branch of the Galbraiths as early as 1230. The name evolved to Makbretny, and thence to Vretny and Cretny.

Early History of the McBratney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McBratney research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1590, 1685 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McBratney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McBratney Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacBretney, Bretny, Bretney, MacBratney, Vretny, Cretney, Cretnie, Cretny, McBretnach, McBratny, MacBraten, MacBretnie, McVretney and many more.

Early Notables of the McBratney family

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

Ireland Migration of the McBratney family to Ireland

Some of the McBratney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States McBratney migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McBratney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Samuel McBratney, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1865 [1]
  • Bingham McBratney, aged 18, who arrived in America from Belfast, Ireland, in 1892
McBratney Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Hugh McBratney, aged 22, who arrived in America from Belfast, in 1905
  • Mrs. McBratney, aged 35, who arrived in America, in 1905
  • John McBratney, aged 44, who arrived in America from Camberwell, Australia, in 1906
  • Mary Harper McBratney, aged 43, who arrived in America from Camberwell, Australia, in 1906
  • Henry Harper McBratney, aged 9, who arrived in America from Camberwell, Australia, in 1906
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand McBratney migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McBratney Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Robert McBratney, aged 25, a gardener, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Nations" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name McBratney (post 1700) +

  • James McBratney (1941-1973), Irish-born, American gangster, believed to have been involved in the 1972 kidnapping of Emanuel "Manny" Gambino
  • Samuel "Sam" McBratney (1943-2020), Northern Ireland writer who has written more than fifty books for children and young adults, best known for his best-selling children's book Guess How Much I Love You, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, and been translated into 53 languages


The McBratney 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: Quad ero spero
Motto Translation: What I shall be, I hope.


  1. 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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