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Brough Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Brough last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

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Meaning and origin of the Brough last name

Meaning of the Brough last name: fortified place. Brough is an English surname from places called Brough in Yorkshire, Westmorland and Derbyshire, from Old English burh, "fortified place", often a Roman fort. It is pronounced Bruff and is common in northern England. The Brough Superior motorcycle, built in Nottingham, carried this last name.

Arms associated with the Brough name

In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Brough name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.

Get your full Brough family history

This is only a glimpse of the Brough story. The full Brough 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 Brough coat of arms. Get the full Brough report.

Brough name FAQ

What does the Brough name mean?

Fortified place. Common variants include Bruff, Burgh.

Where does the Brough surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Is there a Brough coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Brough coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).