O'Brakane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Early Origins of the O'Brakane family

Early History of the O'Brakane family

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

O'Brakane Spelling Variations

The recording of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. Since the general population did not know how to read or write, they could only specify how their names should be recorded orally. Research into the name O'Brakane revealed spelling variations, including Bracken, Braken and others.

Early Notables of the O'Brakane family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the O'Brakane family

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the O'Brakane name: 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..