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From: "David Barker" <>
Subject: Are You called Brailsford.
Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 20:40:05 +0100


Hi list

I tried to send this article as printed after scanning last night but the
Rootsweb server rejected it. Today I ( well actually David )typed it out
and tried to send it as an attachment. It came back!!
So its now down to "Cut and Paste". It is coming in two parts so be not
alarmed!!!!

Kind regards

Brenda in Hampshire
Researching DUNMORE, BRAILSFORTH
BRELSFORTH & BRAILSFORD


______________________________________________________________________

ARE YOU CALLED BRAILSFORD?
BY
MAXWELL CRAVEN

In the Derbyshire section of the Domesday Book, in the fortieth entry under
section six, there is an entry for the village of Brailsford. which ends
with the words "......Elfin holds it (i.e. Brailsford) ". The entries for
Bupton, nearby, and Osmaston, a few miles down the road, both end
similarly...


So who was Elfin? The name is probably the Saxon Aelfwine (although a
Celtic derivation has been argued), and Elfin's son, Nicholas, was surnamed
'de Brailsford' and was the ancestor of most persons bearing this name,
which, as a place name is unique to this county.

Nicholas de Brailsford also held Wingerworth, and the senior male line
became extinct in the mid-fourteenth century when the manor of Brailsford
passed through the heiress to the Bassets and then the Shirleys. However,
the family had ever been rich in younger sons, very many of whom left
descendants. Indeed so prolific were they that Hugh de Brailsford, Rector
of Dronsfield in about 1199 managed to fly in the face of celibacy and leave
a son, Thomas, whom succeeded his father in the living.

In those days it was not uncommon for a family to adopt a surname from the
name of the place wherein they held land, and by this process called 'de
Birchover' and 'de Osmaston', the latter to be distinguished from a more
modern Derbyshire family who adopted the name in lieu of Wright, albeit for
similar reasons.

The survival of the name Brailsford (or Brelsford, as it was occasionally
spelt)
rested with a branch which re-emerged in the person of John Brailsford of
Bupton in Brailsford who moved to family land at Senior-in-Ault Hucknall and
North Wingfield in about 1555. Where exactly his ancestors belonged on the
family pedigree is not fully certain. He was probably a descendant of Sir
Engenulf de Brailsford of Bradley, fourth son of Henry of Brailsford (living
in 1243). Engenulf's descendants were for a few generations of Blore, in
Staffordshire [as sub tenants of the Bassets of that place, themselves heirs
of the senior line of Brailsfords). Others were of Burnaston, Bupton and
Etwall, and one was Bailiff of Derby for 1359. Robert, of Etwall, living
two generations later was also of Wingerworth, and he was probably the
ancestor of John of Senior.

John founded the Brailsfords of Southwell, Nottinghamshire, Staveley and of
London, the latter being silk weavers, and the fishmongers there in the 16th
century. John had two brothers, Roger of whom we know nothing, and Thomas,
who founded the later Brailsfords of Senior, who had their arms confirmed at
the time of the Visitation of 1611.

Part two follows on another email !!!

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