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My last name is Brandabur. But, I'm not sure how to find out the history of it since I can't find it in any surname search.

I have a theory that it might be an adaption of 'Brandenburg' which is German. But, uh...if you could recommend a site or if you know, please tell me.

2007-01-22 11:34:20 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities Genealogy

9 answers

Hey Courtney,

Swyrich.com has Brandenburg, but it does not show a variaton as Brandabur:
Brandenburg
Origin: German

Spelling variations of this family name include: Brandenburg, Brandenberg, Brandenburge, Brandenberge, Branddenburg, Branddenberg, Brandenberger and many more.

First found in Prussia, where this family name became noted for its many branches within the region.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Hans Cunrad Brandenberger who arrived in Georgia in 1735; Johann Brandenburg, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740; Jacob Brandenberger who is recorded as having arrived in Pennsylvania in 1766.

Brandabur has 7 Entries in the LDS Family Search site, but with the exact spelling off, nothing else comes up. They use the Soundex system, so it seems that somehow the name was 'truncated'. This happens sometimes durring immigration, for example at Ellis Island. Ellis Island had no entries for Brandabur.

So as not to take away the fun, I put some additional sites you can check for your name below.

2007-01-22 12:18:36 · answer #1 · answered by BuyTheSeaProperty 7 · 0 0

Hi Courtney,
I agree with RustSKIP... Likely the name was abbreviated at an immigration station...like Ellis Island. Many from Germany, British Isles, and the Balkan states names were changed by well-meaning but overworked clerks over the years. I know my uncle's was...to Chaney from a very long Hungarian name. So do try the records from immigration/naturalization if you have them. If not, check with the state offices where they lived to retrieve that information and documentation.
Hope you find this of help. allamothe

2007-01-22 14:46:15 · answer #2 · answered by allamothe 1 · 0 0

The 1930 USA census has a Joseph & Anna Brandabur in Cleveland, OH, ward 3.

Joseph was born about 1894 in Czechoslovakia, of German speaking parents.
Anna was born about 1871 in Pennsylvania; parents born in PA
Matthew, his brother, was born about 1902 in Czechoslovakia.
The brothers were marine engineers on a steamship.

Czechoslovakia wasn't created until after World War I (c1918) so at the time Joseph and Matthew were born, they would have been subjects of the King of Austria.

2007-01-23 06:56:04 · answer #3 · answered by dlpm 5 · 0 0

Possibly, it could also be a corruption of Brind'amour, a French name, many early immigration officials were not that well versed in foreign languages and would often change the spelling of a name or simply write it phonetically as it sounded to them. Many names have been created that way. Also, many records were transcribed several times, by hand, thus causing greater margin for error. I guess we will never really know.

2007-01-22 15:12:36 · answer #4 · answered by P.A.M. 5 · 0 0

The only way to determine it is to do your family tree. Find the death certificates of each of your ancestors and trace back to find their spouses, etc. Keep going until you find the ancestor who immigrated to the US and pull his/her naturalization papers to see what nationality s/he was.

2007-01-22 13:13:40 · answer #5 · answered by GenevievesMom 7 · 0 0

Branda is Hebrew for many children, whereas bur is the nickname for the pharaoh who chased the jews into the red sea. so I am confident that it is of Jewish origin!

2007-01-22 12:17:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Go to the public library and ask the librarian to help you search for the information. They know how to find the information.

2007-01-22 12:20:56 · answer #7 · answered by newyorkgal71 7 · 0 1

You can go to www.genealogy.com this is a pretty good site.

2007-01-22 11:38:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I think it's Austrian for goat herding whore mother.
Could be wrong though.

2007-01-22 11:39:26 · answer #9 · answered by Taco Pete 2 · 0 6

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