Family Name History
The english surname Brazier is occupationnal in origin,
being one of those surnames based on the type of work a man once did or the
profession he once pursued. In this instance, the surname is
derived from the old English word "brasian", meaning "to make of
brass", and as such would indicate that the original bearer of
the surname was a brass founder by trade in the medieval ages.
Occasionally, it originates from Old English "Broesian" which
means "to cast in brass" this is an occupational name for "A
worker in brass", particularly in smelting and pouring of moulton
brass onto sand to form a Brass Sheet.
It must be remembered that before the advent of the hereditary
system of surnames, it was not unusual to name a person according
to the type of work that he was associated with as it provided a
simple form of identification and distinguished the bearer from
others in the community. References to this medieval occupation
date back to the Middle Ages and mention of the occupation is recorded
in Cocke Lorrelle's Bote which dates back to the sixteenth century
when he says "Pavyers, bell-makers, and brasyers ". Early references
to the surname date back as far as the thirteenth century and are
substantiated by numerous medieval sources. Some a these early
instances include Henry le Brazur who was mentioned in the
"Hundred Rolls" for Huntingdonshire in 1273 an also William
Brasier who is recorded in the "Subsidy Rolls" for Essex in 1327.
The "London Commercial and Court Directory" recorded seven instances
of the surname in 1870. William Brazier, a labourer, aged nineteen,
sailed from London to virginia on the ship 'Elisabeth" as an indented
servant in November, 1774, and is evidence of the early existence of
the surname in America.
The Brazier surname, is also derived from the name Brashears and is a
patronymic version of the English occupational name Brasher, which
was brought to England by the Normans during the Conquest. Brasher
is derived from Old French "brasser" which means "to brew." A French
cognate is LeBrasseur.
Brazier English
- Spelling variations include: Brasier, Brasher,
Braisher, Bracer, Brasseur, Brasier, Braizier, Brazier and others.
- First found in Somerset where they were seated from very ancient times,
some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William
at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
- Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Captain
Richard Brazier, one of the earliest settlers in the United States, who joined
the Illinois Regiment and then the Crockett Regiment in the War of Independence
in 1770.
Brazier French
- Spelling variations include: Brazeau, Braseau, Brazeaux, Braseaux,
Brazot, Brasot, Brazaud, Brasaud, Brazaut, Brasaut, Brazaux, Brasaux,
Brazauld, Brasauld, Brazault, Brasault, Brazaulx, Brasaulx, Brazet,
Braset, Brazey, Brasey, Brazier, Brasier, Brazy and many more.
- First found in Burgundy, where this family was anciently established
in a village in C�te-d'Or, in the district of Beaune.
- Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Nicolas Brazeau, who married Anne Pinsonneau in Montreal in 1694; Paul
Brazeau, who married Marie-Roche Cadieux in Longueuil in 1720; and
Jean-Baptiste Brazeau, who married Marie-Joseph Biroleau in Ste-Genevi�ve in 1755.