BRACEWELL

This page is to explore the origin and meaning of the surname 'Bracewell'. It is a surprisingly involved story, one which is steeped in history and one which extends across the Atlantic.  

The name itself is derived from an Old Norse personal name used by a Viking settler, it is found in many of the earliest names on Iceland when it was first colonised by the Norwegians, and it is still found on the western coast of Norway, 'brieðr', meaning 'the broad one' combined with the Old Norse word for a spring or small stream, 'wela'. So the name's literal meaning is 'brieðr's spring'.

The name was applied to a settlement on the West Yorkshire East Lancashire border which grew into the village of Bracewell.

Links

Bracewell Geneology Page

Braswell Geneology Page