Browning History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Browning is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was name for a person with brown hair or a dark complexion. The surname Browning is derived from the Old English word bruning, which was in common usage until the 14th century. This word is itself a derivative of the word brun,which means brown. The name was in usage as a personal name as early as 1086, when Bruning de Cestretona was recorded as a resident of Cumberland.

Early Origins of the Browning family

The surname Browning was first found in Cumberland but by the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the name had scattered throughout most of ancient Britain. By example, that rolls listed Henry Brunwyne, Staffordshire; John Brunwyn, Suffolk; Richard Brunwyn, Lincolnshire; Avice Bruning, Cambridgeshire; John Bruning, Norfolk; Roger Bruning, London; and Ivo Brunig, Huntingdonshire. [1]

Kirby’s Quest listed the name as a forename and a surname: Brounyng le Fox, Somerset, 1 Edward I; and Brounyng Bycheheye, Somerset, 1 Edward I (during the first year of King Edward I’s reign.) [2]

As time moved on, spellings changed. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Agnes Brownyng, a spelling closer to the spellings used today. [1]

A little further to the north in Scotland, early records there included John Brwnyng, as one of the “burgenses rure manentes” of Aberdeen, 1317, and “Sir John Browning was sheriff there in 1328. Willelmus Bronnyng in the parish of Fyvy was excommunicated in 1382. ” [3]

Early History of the Browning family

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

Browning Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Browning have been found, including Browning, Brownyng, Bruning, Brownigg, Brownygg and many more.

Early Notables of the Browning family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include John Browning (fl. 1584), English divine, matriculated as a sizar at Trinity College, Cambridge, on 14 Nov. 1658. On 8 July 1580 Browning was created D.D. at Oxford.

Browning Ranking

In the United States, the name Browning is the 684^th most popular surname with an estimated 42,279 people with that name. [4] However, in Australia, the name Browning is ranked the 859^thmost popular surname with an estimated 4,606 people with that name. [5]

 Browning migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Browning, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were: 

Browning Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• John Browning, aged 27, who landed in Virginia in 1621 [6]
• William Browning, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 [6]
• Geo Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1635 [6]
• Jon Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1635 [6]
• Joseph Browning, aged 20, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship “Thomas” [6]

Browning Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Jasse Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1714 [6]
• Humph Browning, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [6]
• James Browning, who landed in New England in 1720 [6]
• Thus Browning, who landed in Virginia in 1724 [6]

Browning Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• William Browning, who landed in New York in 1813 [6]
• H Browning, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 [6]
• Mrs. Browning, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 [6]
• A Browning, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 [6]
• C Browning, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [6]

 Browning migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Browning Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

• Ann Browning, who settled in Newfoundland in 1679 [7]

Browning Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• William Browning, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Browning Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Miss C Browning, who landed in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862

 Browning migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Browning Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. James Browning, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Asiatic” on 5th June 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [8]
• George Browning, English convict from Derby, who was transported aboard the “Asia” on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia [9]
• Mr. Thomas Browning, English convict who was convicted in Devon, Englandfor 7 years, transported aboard the “Chapman” on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’sLand) [10]
• Charles Browning, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the “America” on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia [11]
• James Browning, English convict from Huntingdon, who was transported aboard the “America” on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia [11]

 Browning migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Browning Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Rebecca Browning, aged 16, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship “Bombay” in 1842 [12]
• George Browning, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship “Gipsy” in 1854
• Mr. George Browning, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship “Gipsey” arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854 [13]
• Mrs. Browning, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship “Gipsey” arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854 [13]
• Mr. William Browning, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship “Gipsey” arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th October 1854 [13]

Contemporary Notables of the name Browning (post 1700) +

• Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), née Moulton-Barrett, one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era, perhaps best known for her poems “How Do I Love Thee?” (1845) and Aurora Leigh (1856) [14]
• Ricou Browning (1930-2023), American film director, actor, producer, screenwriter, underwater cinematographer, and stuntman, best known for his underwater stunt work, especially in the 1954 film Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956), co-creator of the series Flipper
• Thomas Leo “Tom” Browning (1960-2022), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds (1984–1994) and the Kansas City Royals (1995)
• Calvin Duane “Cal” Browning (1938-2022), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1960
• Edmond Lee Browning (1929-2016), American bishop, 24th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church
• James L. Browning Jr. (1933-2016), American jurist, United States Attorney for the Northern District of California from 1969 to 1977
• Brigadier-General Albert Jesse Browning (1899-1948), American Director Purchases Division Army Services Forces (1942-1944) [15]
• Orville Hickman Browning (1806-1881), American politician, U.S. Secretary of the Interior (1866-69)
• John Moses Browning (1855-1926), American gunsmith and the most important figure in the development of modern automatic and semi-automatic firearms and is credited with 128 gun patents
• Chauncey H. Browning (1903-1971), American Democratic Party politician, Logan County Prosecuting Attorney, 1944-52; Judge of West Virginia supreme court of appeals, 1952-71; Appointed 1952 [16]