You may not realize it, but surnames actually tell us a lot about the families that bear them. For instance, the Breasure family name has ancestral roots in the United Kingdom. However, it has a similar spelling to a classically French surname. This could mean that the descendants of the Breasure family name have ties to both France and the United Kingdom. It is also fascinating to look at the meaning behind these surname variations. How did a letter get dropped? Why did a certain name stick? We'll get into all of these roots and more. Stick around to learn about the Breasure family name and its unique history.
In this post, we'll cover the meaning, history, and original language roots of this particular surname. Learn more about the variations on the Breasure family name. They may connect the name to more than one meaning or origin! Read on as we uncover the history of individuals with the last name Breasure. While it's not the most common of surnames, there is still some unique etymology tied to the Breasure name. So, let's get into the story behind the Breasure family name and see what we can find out.
Origin And Meaning
As mentioned above, it would seem the Breasure family name has roots in the French surname “Brasure.” According to Ancestry.com, the surname “Brasure,” was found predominantly in areas of the United Kingdom, Scotland, and the U.S. between the years 1840 and 1920. If we modify the spelling to the surname variation with an “e” to get Breasure, the record shows most Breasure families living in the United States, specifically in Maine, starting around 1880. So, it's very possible that while the name started with the French spelling, as it spread to different parts of Europe, and over to the United States, it went through anglicizations and spelling changes.
Let's take a closer look at the French origins of the surname “Brasure,” as it links to the Breasure family name. The word “Brasure,” comes from the Old French term “brazer.” This term was used to describe someone who works with metal to smelt and solder parts together. In English, it would translate to “brazier,” which is colloquially known as a metal worker (via Merriam-Webster). In line with other last names that would indicate a family's labor trade (Barber, Gardener, Smith, Brewer, etc.), “Brasure” might've served a similar purpose in Medieval France. The records of the “Brasure” surname trace it to areas of the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom alongside France. It is confirmed that a member of the Brasure family immigrated from France to the United States in 1881, which could've resulted in the name being Anglicized, and the spread of variant surnames.
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Variations Of The Name “Breasure”
To further show how much a surname can change, let's look at another variation on the Breasure family name. The surname “Brashear,” is more similar phonetically than “Brasure,” but both come from Old French terms. “Bra,” translates to “arm,” and “Cher,” means “beloved,” and when combined the spelling changed to match the phonetic pronunciation as opposed to the spelling of the individual words.
It has a similar meaning to the alternative spelling; it was given to someone who was considered “well-armed,” or literally had the profession of an armorer. This name was commonly anglicized to surnames like “Brashier,” and “Brasier.” It's not so far a leap to consider that Breasure could've been yet another variation on the spelling of this surname. Overall, it would seem that all these surnames have roots in a name given to someone with a metal-working profession, who was also considered to be “strong,” and “beloved,” or “dear. It is nice to know the meaning behind the names that trace our histories and where our families came from.
Other variations on the Breasure family name may include but are not limited to:
- Brasure
- Brashear
- Brashier
- Brasier
- Brasher
- Brashier
- Brasseur
- Brassieur
- Brachier
- Braisher
- Brassier
- Brechiau
- Brechain
- Brazel
- Brechon
- Brechaud
- Brecherau
- Brechereau
- Brechiau
- Bresillon
- Bresson
- Breshon
- Breton
- Braize
As you can see, there are numerous ways that this surname could've changed over time, influenced by immigration, anglicization, and other language factors.
Interesting Facts About The Breasure Family Name
- By 1940s, evidence suggests that the most common jobs for U.S. citizens with the surname Breasure included the roles of farmer and housewife. Some 50% of males with the surname Breasure worked as farmers during this time. Meanwhile, 72% of females with the Breasure surname held the role of a housewife.
- You see from the list above that there are truly so many variations on the Breasure family name. A reason for this has a lot to do with the ways in which people used to translate phonetic pronunciations of a name to the written word. Many people who immigrated anglicized more traditional family names to make them easier to pronounce. As a result, the spelling modifications on official paperwork could've been purposeful or a mistake on the part of the writer.
Historical Evidence of Individuals With The Breasure Family Name
Within the Sprague Project, a genealogical project to trace family members associated with the last name “Sprague/Spragg,” there is evidence of the Breasure family name. One William Breasure Spragg was born in New Brunswick, Canada in 1848, and died in Inglewood, Los Angeles in 1933. Since this was a middle name, it's possible William's parents (most likely his mother,) kept the family name as a middle name. Or it could've been a family name from generations earlier. Thus we have an example of the spreading of the Breasure family name from New Brunswick, Canada to Los Angeles in the United States.
Free Genealogical Resources For Researching Surnames
Search engines can only provide so much data and resources when it comes to researching or tracing surnames. When people are truly interested in tracking down possible relatives, or simply understanding more about their family lineage, there are a few great roads to go down.
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Depending on how much you'd like to invest in this kind of search, there are a number of free websites that can help you with your surname search. The following sites are free and may be able to help you in finding some answers:
- Family functions similarly to Ancestry.com, a resource that was utilized in this post.
- Our Records can also provide some amount of information on family surnames.
- Geneology.com for users to post on forums regarding their family tree and surname search.
Outside of websites and online research, try asking family members and relatives for any documents or photographs that could pinpoint your family tree. Libraries are great because they store old records, and historical societies can also be a great resource as you begin your great surname search.
Subscription-Based Genealogical Resources
The following resources are either paywalled, have a membership fee, or some other kind of cost associated with using them. This can be a great route to go if you have the means because a lot of these websites have the tools to trace a surname lineage. Check out the list below:
- My is a membership-based website that lets you utilize its online database to gather information on your particular family tree or surname history.
- Find Past is another membership database that can help someone in genealogical research.
- 23 Me is a genealogical database and also a DNA testing company. You can send in a sample with their sample kit and they'll provide you with data about where your family comes from, along with the option to learn about genetic conditions that may have passed through your ancestors.
- Ancestry.com is a great tool for baseline genealogical research but also offers a membership level of information and resources.
- AncestryDNA, platform also has a DNA testing kit. According to Wirecutter, AncestryDNA has the largest family-matching database. However, it is less streamlined than 23 And Me.
- FamilyTreeDNA is another genealogical and DNA testing website.
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