Meaning and origin
The last name Bradshaw has its origins in England, particularly in the regions of Lancashire and Yorkshire.
The longer story
The last name Bradshaw has an interesting history and meaning. It is of English origin and is derived from a place name. The name Bradshaw is primarily found in the United Kingdom, especially in England, where it originated.
The meaning of the name Bradshaw can be traced back to Old English. It is a combination of the elements "brad," which means broad, and "sceaga," which means grove or wood. Therefore, the name Bradshaw can be interpreted as "broad wood" or "wide forest." This suggests that those with the name Bradshaw may have had an ancestral connection to a place with a broad or wide forest.
The earliest records of the name Bradshaw can be traced back to the 12th century in England. It was commonly used as a surname to identify individuals hailing from various locations named Bradshaw. The surname gradually spread throughout the country and became more widespread over time.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#818
Bradshaw was the 818th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 42,465 people, about 14 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Bradshaw
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Bradshaw is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.