O'Bracking History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of O'Bracking

The Irish name O'Bracking was originally written in a Gaelic form as Ó Breacain, from the word breac, which means speckled. 1

Early Origins of the O'Bracking family

Early History of the O'Bracking family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Bracking research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1014, 1697 and 1764 are included under the topic Early O'Bracking History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Bracking Spelling Variations

Irish names were rarely spelled consistently in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations of the name O'Bracking dating from that time include Bracken, Braken and others.

Early Notables of the O'Bracking family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Bracking Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the O'Bracking family

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the O'Bracking family relocated to North American shores quite early: James Bracken, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1831; John Bracken, who settled in New England in 1806; Michael, Patrick, Robert, Thomas, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..