English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Brand's House

Early-attested site in the Parish of Hughenden

Etymology

The Brand who has left his name here was father of Robert son of Brand, who in 1196 was party to a final concord concerning land in Kingshill. (Hunter, Fines 156.) Brand's name was afterwards used as a surname by the family descended from him. From a plea of 1227 (Ass ) it appears that Brand, who belongs to the time of Henry II, was the son of a woman named Sayve (OE  Sǣgifu ) and a man named Turkill (ON  Þorkell ), and that Sayve had two brothers named respectively Sarich (OE  sǣrīc ) and Svertrich (a hybrid compound of ON  Svartr and OE  rīc ). These people are interesting as a family, obviously of pre-Conquest descent, maintaining a good position until the 13th cent. The names Brand, Turkill, and Svertrich are evidence of a Scandinavian element among the 12th cent. landholders of this district, which bears upon the problems presented by the local names Fingest and Skirmett.