World Map Guild of One Name Studies

EASTERBROOK GENEALOGY 

The history of the Easterbrook family name 

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Easterbrook Name

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The Easterbrook Name

The Easterbrook name originated in the West Country of England (the earliest records are from Devon and Somerset), and is topographic in origin, meaning that it referred to a family that lived "East of the Brook".

Spelling variations of the name include: Eastbrook, Eastabrook, Easterbook, Easterbrok, and these can also be found with a final e as in Easterbrooke. (Note that many transcriptions add a final e when the original had a final k with a stylistic final stroke).

The Easterbrook name is still most common in Devon, but migration to other parts of the British Isles and the rest of the world significantly increased during the 19th century. As well as the adjacent counties of Cornwall and Somerset, many moved to London taking advantage of the new railway network, which had reached Plymouth in 1859.

The 1891 Distribution at Ancestry.co.uk shows the name is still very much a Devon name.

Both Devon and London had important sea ports, and this led to many Easterbrooks emigrating to the New World such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA. Of course not all of the emigrants left England by their own choosing! The Easterbrook name can also be found in mainland Europe, Africa and South America.

The late Ivor William John Werrey-Easterbrook compiled A History of Early Devonshire Easterbrooks as part of his research into the Easterbrook and Eastabrook names.

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The Families page shows Easterbrook and variants in family groups with links to the areas where the family lived which often contains more information.

The First Name List shows individuals in alphabetical order of first name with links to vital records such as Birth & Marriage, or Censuses.

Clicking on a person's name will switch between the Families and First Name view.

I have also indexed individuals by dates of birth and death, and couples by marriage.

There are also a number of places called Easterbrook, Companies named after or associated with an Easterbrook, and Well-known individuals called Easterbrook.

References

The House of Names gives the origins of the name as:

First found in Somerset where they were anciently seated. The first on record appears to be John le Eastbrook, who is mentioned in a volume called "Kirby's Quest for Somerset," as living in that county during the reign of Edward III, the Confessor (1042-66).
Surname Web states:
A Person who lives East of the Brook. Bardsley couldn't find the place. It is mentioned in the Cartulary or Cannonsleigh Abbey. First reference 1173. Ruins of Abbey situated at Burlescombe about 2 miles west of the Devon/Somerset Border.
The Concise Dictionary of Surnames:
East, Eastes, Este from Old English, meaning a 'man from the east'. Eastbrook, Eastabrook, Easterbrook therefore denoted someone who dwelt 'east of the brook'; Easterby someone who 'lived east of the village'; Eastwood someone who 'lived east of a wood' or 'eastward', and Escott someone from the 'eastern cottage' or 'east of the cottage'.
A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames:
Easterbrook, Esterbrooke, Esterbrook, Estabrook, Estabrooks. - Local, 'of Eastbrook.' I have not found the spot. The intrusive a in Estabrooks or Estabrook is euphonic, as in Ottaway, Greenaway, &c. The next stage was Easterbrook. Cf. John atte Esterford (Kirby's Quest, p. 260).
John le (?de) Eastbrook, co. Soms., I Edw. III: Kirby's Quest, p. 224.
1658. Married - Richard Dalton and Frances Easterbrooke: St Dionis Backchurch, p.34.
1772. - William Phillips and jane Eastabrook: St. Geo. Han. Sq. i. 226.
London, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0: Boston (U.S.), 6, 0, 1, 33, 4.

There are many other Websites that also have information on the Easterbrook name and families.


Easterbrook Family History Last updated:site 2023-12-31 page 2020-11-28
© Copyright Mark Easterbrook 2003-2024 (Hampshire, England).
The Family Tree diagrams and reports are generated from a GeneWeb database.
The information on this page must be used only for personal genealogy purposes. Commercial use is not permitted.