Branch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Branch was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Branch family lived in the county of Westmorland (now part of Cumbria), where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the Norman Conquest. The surname Branch comes from the Old English word branche, which means branch. While it is unclear as to how this word came to be used as a surname, it may have been a topographical surname type, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree.

Early Origins of the Branch family

The surname Branch was first found in Westmorland where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. The family were from St. Denis de Branche, and the name Braunch appears on the Honour Roll of Battell Abbey of those companions of Duke William Normandy at Hastings.