This early surname is of pre 5th century Germanic origins. Recorded in over fifty different spellings including Brand, Brandt, Braund, Brando, Brann, Braun, Bront, and many others, it usually derives from the male given name "Brando". This is itself a short form of a popular compound personal name such as Hildebrand, and originates from "brinnan", meaning a flash, as in a flash of lightning. The name can also be topographical and relate to a person who lived by a "brant". This word described an area of agricultural land, one which was cleared by fire, a common practice in ancient times.
In England this word appears in many village names including examples such as Brandeston in the county of Suffolk, and Branston in the county of Leicestershire. These places were recorded prior to the year 1066, the year of the Norman Invasion, and suggest that Brant and Brand as first names, were introduced into the country by the Anglo-Saxons perhaps as early as the year 450 a.d.. Early examples of the surname recordings include Ralph Brand, in the 1184 pipe rolls of the city of London, and in Germany Otho de Brande from Neuburg, in the year 1271.The first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere in the world is probably that of William Brant, which was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book for the county of Norfolk, England. This was during the reign of King William 1st, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
It derives from the medieval name of Germanic origin Brando (from the term branda, "fire, fire"), of which we have an example in a deed written in Ravenna in 1081: "...Innovacio Ungani et Brandi germanorum facta Scole piscatorum de omnibus iuribus suis que habebant in valibus Iusverti et Fenarie, sub pension omni anno sacharum triginta piscium...".
This name, quite widespread in the late Middle Ages, was used as an example in 1400 by Cardinal Brando Brancacci.
The surname Brandi is widespread throughout peninsular Italy.
Branda, quite rare, is scattered throughout the peninsula.
Brandaglia is almost unique.
Brandazzi seems Lombard.
Brandigi is Florentine.
Brandis, rare, has a Sardinian lineage, in the Cagliari area, and presences in Bolzano.
Brandoli has Florentine stock.
Brandolin is mainly present in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Brandolini is typical of Emilia Romagna and Lombardy.
Branni, very rare, could have a Neapolitan lineage as well as Branno.
Discovering the historical roots of brandi is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname brandi is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of brandi.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname brandi. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname brandi provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The historical chronicle of brandi is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname brandi, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of brandi developed. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname brandi.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname brandi, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about brandi and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished brandis throughout human history. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname brandi were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. If you or someone you know bears the surname brandi, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname brandi who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of brandi. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of brandi are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of brandi.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of brandi, and at the same time, of surnames in general.