Bracken Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Bracken last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Meaning and origin of the Bracken last name
Meaning of the Bracken last name: fern-covered place. Bracken is an English surname from Old Norse brakni, "fern", for someone living on fern-covered land, common in Yorkshire. In Ireland this last name also renders Ó Breacáin, from Offaly. Brendan Bracken was British minister of information in the war.
Arms associated with the Bracken name
Coats of arms associated with the Bracken surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Bracken family history
This is only a glimpse of the Bracken story. The full Bracken history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Bracken coat of arms. Get the full Bracken report.
Bracken name FAQ
What does the Bracken name mean?
Fern-covered place. Common variants include Brackin, Brakan.
Where does the Bracken surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Bracken coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Bracken coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).