Place of Birth

Texas
Tribal Affiliation

Sharakhi/Choctaw
Surname Heritage

England / Ireland / Scotland

Brown History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Brown family name is thought to be of Norman origins. It comes from an early member of the family who was a person who has brown hair or brown eyes, or dresses habitually in brown. [1]

The name springs from similar roots in Old English, Old English, Old Norse, Old French, Old German. It is also possible that a given instance of the name is derived from a short form of an Old English personal name such as Brunwine or Brungar.

Early Origins of the Brown family

The surname Brown was first found in Cumberland, where the Brown family held a family seat and claim descent from Le Brun in Normandy, who was granted many estates there soon after the Conquest. However, many of the family remained in Normandy where Gilbert and William le Brun were listed in 1185 according to the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. [2]

“This ancient and wide-spreading name, which occurs in early writings in a great variety of forms, as Le Brun, de Bron, Broun, Brune, Brunn, &c., stands 50th on the Battle Roll, and has the peculiar distinction of having produced twenty-one different families in the United Kingdom, who have received from the Sovereign hereditary titles of Nobility.” [3]

“As Le Brun or Brunnus, it frequently occurs in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of the twelfth century, and is several times written in Domesday Book. William le Brun held in Suffolk; and Bruno (perhaps the same) in Warwickshire: besides “Brun Presbyter” in Oxfordshire. [4]

“Of these, the most considerable-that of the Viscounts Montague-was an offset of the great Norman house of La Ferte, who held the barony of La Ferte (now La Ferte Fresnel) near Evreux. Hugh de la Ferte is mentioned by Wace at Hastings. Richard de la Ferte accompanied Robert of Normandy to Palestine in 1096, and his youngest son, Gamel, surnamed Le Brun (according to family tradition to distinguish him from a brother called Le Blond), settled in Cumberland, where he had baronial grants from Waldeve FitzGospatric, and his descendants long flourished, the name gradually changing to Broyne, Broun, or Browne.” [4]

Some of the family were found at early times at Tacolneston in Norfolk where they held estates. “The Hall, a fine brick mansion, is a good specimen of the domestic style prevalent in the 17th century; it is said to have been built in 1670, by the Browne family, who then held the estate.” [5]

Another branch was found in the parish of Thrigby, again in Norfolk. “The principal part [of Thrigby] belongs to Thomas Browne, Esq., who resides at the Hall, a neat mansion of white brick.” [5]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 eludes to the use of the name in a variety of early spelling and as a forename and surname: Brun Ednth, Salop; Matilda relicta Brun, Oxfordshire; and Brune relicta Johannis, Cambridgeshire; Hugh le Brun, Suffolk; Robert le Brun, Buckinghamshire; and Johanna la Brune, Oxfordshire. [6]

Up north in Scotland, the family are generally though to have migrated there from Cumberland. “Gamel, son of Brun came into possession of Bothel (now Boode) in the time of Henry I (1100-1135). Gilchrist, son of Bruun witnessed a charter by R. son of Dunegal to the Hospital of S. Peter of York c. 1136, Patric Brun witnessed resignation of land of Weremundebi (Warmanbie in Annandale) and Anant between 1194-1214. Ricardus Brun witnessed a charter by Ebrardus de Penkathleht (Pencaitland near Edinburgh) to the church of S. Cuthbert of Durham in the reign of William the Lion. Several individuals of this name are recorded in the thirteenth century, but what connection, if any, existed between them is not known.” [7]

Early History of the Brown family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brown research.

Brown Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Brown, Broun, Brun and others.

Early Notables of the Brown family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Anthony Browne (1443-1506), during the reign of King Henry VII, he was Standard Bearer of England, Governor of Queenborough Castle, and Constable of Calais; Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet (ca. 1610-1669), English Major-General in the English Parliamentary Army during the English Civil War and later Lord Mayor of London; Sir Thomas Browne (1605-1682), an English author; Francis Browne, 3rd Viscount Montagu (1610-1682); Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet of Deptford (ca. 1605-1682), an English ambassador to the court of France at Paris from 1641 to 1660; Sir Richard Browne, 2nd Baronet (ca.1634-1684).

Brown World Ranking

In the United States, the name Brown is the 5^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,544,427 people with that name. [8] However, in Canada, the name Brown is ranked the 2^ndmost popular surname with an estimated 108,859 people with that name. [9] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Brown is the 350^th popular surname. [10] Newfoundland, Canada ranks Brown as 8^th with 1,140 people. [11] France ranks Brown as 1,837^th with 3,343 people. [12]Australia ranks Brown as 4^th with 105,078 people. [13] New Zealand ranks Brown as 4^th with 8,365 people. [14] The United Kingdom ranks Brown as 3^rd with 272,112 people. [15] South Africa ranks Brown as 189^th with 34,381 people. [16]

Migration of the Brown family to Ireland

Some of the Brown family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

Brown migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Brown or a variant listed above:

Brown Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Abraham Brown, who arrived in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1630 [17]
Mr. John Brown, British settler, from London who sailed from Isle of Wright arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship “Talbot” as part of the Winthrop Fleet [18]
Mr. Samuel Brown, British settler, from London who sailed from Isle of Wright arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship “Talbot” as part of the Winthrop Fleet [18]
Edward Brown, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1635 [17]
Edmund Brown, who arrived in New England in 1637 [17]

Brown Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Ellinor Brown, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 [17]
Duksell Brown, who landed in Virginia in 1701 [17]
Bridgett Brown, who landed in Virginia in 1713 [17]
Ellen Brown, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [17]
Arthur Brown, who arrived in New England in 1729 [17]

Brown Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Godlip Brown, who landed in New York in 1801 [17]
Biddy Brown, aged 38, who landed in America in 1803 [17]
Barbara Brown, aged 18, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 [17]
Widow Brown, aged 60, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 [17]
Hamilton Brown, aged 35, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 [17]

Brown Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Richard Brown, (b. 1865), aged 35, Cornish quarryman travelling aboard the ship “Servia” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 12th September 1900 en route to Bangor, Pennsylvania, USA [19]
Mr. William Brown, (b. 1897), aged 3, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship “St Louis” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th September 1900 en route to New York, USA [19]
Mr. Louis Brown, (b. 1895), aged 5, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship “St Louis” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th September 1900 en route to New York, USA [19]
Mr. Nathan Brown, (b. 1899), aged 11 months, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship “St Louis” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th September 1900 en route to New York, USA [19]
Mrs. Nellie Brown, (b. 1873), aged 27, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship “St Louis” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th September 1900 en route to New York, USA [19]

Brown migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: