Westbrach History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The origins of the Westbrach name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Westbrach was originally derived from a family having lived in one of the places called Westbrook in Kent, Berkshire, or on the Isle of Wight. The surname Westbrach belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Westbrach family

The surname Westbrach was first found in Kent where one of the first records of the name was Reginald de Westbroc who in 1255 was listed in that county's Feet of Fines. A few years later, John de Westbroke was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Over one hundred years later, Edmind Westbrook was listed in the Feet of Fines of Essex in 1440. 1 Another reference lists Richards de Westbrek in Surrey during the reign of Edward I 2. They were Lords of the manor of Elsted for many years.

Early History of the Westbrach family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Westbrach research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1659, 1660, 1666, 1675 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Westbrach History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Westbrach Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Westbrach include Westbrooke, Westbrook, Westbrock, Westbrocke and others.

Early Notables of the Westbrach family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Westbrach Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Westbrach family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: John Westbrook who settled in West New Jersey in 1664; William Westbrook landed in America in 1772; William T. Westbrook settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1859.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)