BRITTAN

Origin and etymology In historic texts In the 1881 census Distribution map

Brittan

Brittan is an English surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English personal name "Britta," meaning "bright" or "famous." The surname Brittan is classified as a topographical name, referring to someone who lived in or near the town of Brittain in West Yorkshire.

History and Distribution

The Brittan surname has been present in England since medieval times. It is primarily found in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and other parts of Northern England. Over the centuries, the name has spread to other regions of the United Kingdom and beyond, including Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Notable Bearers

Sir Frederick Brittan (1773–1851): British colonial administrator and politician in India.
Sir Arthur Brittan (1892–1986): British diplomat and envoy to Spain during the Spanish Civil War.

Variants

Variants of the Brittan surname include Britton, Brittan, and Brittanell.

References

Reaney, P.H., & Wilson, R.M. (1997). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press.
Hanks, P., Coates, R., & McClure, P. (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press.

There are approximately 675 people named Brittan in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,962nd most common surname in Britain. Around ten in a million people in Britain are named Brittan.

Surname type: Location or geographical feature

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

Alan
Andrew
Anthony
Barnaby
Christopher
David
John
Michael
Paul
Philip
Richard
Steven
Stuart

Female

Anita
Barbara
Hannah
Helen
Jean
Karen
Margaret
Pamela
Patricia
Pauline
Sarah
Sharon
Stephanie

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.