Surname Bromlow - Meaning and Origin

Bromlow: What does the surname Bromlow mean?

The last name Bromlow is a topographical surname, which is a type of surname that references a physical location. It is derived from the Old Norse and Old English pre-7th-century word ‘brom,’ which refers to a low lying area or moor land. This can be broken down to the Old English words 'brom,’ which means 'broom’ or a plant with a spiny bush, and 'hlāw,'meaning a hill. Ultimately, the surname means ‘a low lying hill of broom plants.’

The Bromlow family can trace its beginnings back to the 11th century, when the Norman Conquest brought the custom of using permanent family surnames. At that time, most surnames were derived from the place one was born, lived, worked, or held land. The Bromlow family first identified their home and lived at Bromlow Hill, a location in the region of South Yorkshire, England. The family may have owned land or lived near the hill, eventually taking its name.

The Bromlow family's legacy has survived throughout the centuries and their surname is still common in Britain, mainly in the North of the country. Although there are few variations, such as 'Bromlowe,' 'Bromeley' and 'Bromley,' they all refer to the low-lying hill of broom plants. The family's namesake surname serves as a timeless reminder of their place in history and may have been passed down for generations.

Bromlow: Where does the name Bromlow come from?

The last name Bromlow is a surname of British origin. It is most commonly found in England, with the majority of Bromlow people living in Lancashire, Norfolk and Cheshire. The name has spread over the centuries to other parts of the British Isles, particularly Scotland and Ireland. It is also found in North America, especially in the United States where immigrants from Britain settled in the early 19th century.

The name has common variants, including Bromelow, Bromolow and Bromilow. It is derived from the Old English pre-seventh century word "brummel", meaning a thicket or clump of trees. It was used to describe a person who lived or worked in such a locality. It is possible that Bramhall is a variant of this surname.

Bromlow is also an uncommon surname in Australia, due to the name being old and of British origin. There were however, some unrelated individuals from England, Scotland, and Ireland who arrived in the then British colony in the early 1800s, and this may have been the origin of the name.

Today, the name 'Bromlow' is uncommon, though the variations of the original spelling may be more easily found. It's not a common surname, but it is still found around in certain parts of England and the British Isles.

Variations of the surname Bromlow

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Bromlow are: Bromhall, Bromhell, Bromle, Bromhole, Bromhallow, BromELOW, Bromlowe, Bromlowes, Brom Harris and Bromley.

Bromlow itself is an English surname derived from the Old English term ‘bromhalh’. Bromhalh is a compound of ‘brom’ and ‘halh’, which is an enclosure or meadow, hence Bromlow literally translates as a ‘meadow in the brome grass’ or ‘in the broom’.

Variants of the surname Bromlow appeared quite early, first in the form of Bromhalh in the 12th century, then progressing to Bromhell, Bromle, Bromhole, and Bromhallow in the 15th century. Bromlow followed these variants in the 16th century.

Bromlowe, Bromlowes, Brom Harris and Bromley are all variants of Bromlow that were used in variants of places across England. Bromlowe and Bromlowes were particularly found in Wiltshire, Brom Harris in Sussex and Bromley in Kent.

These variants of Bromlow demonstrate that the family name was an established surname across England at least as far back as the 12th century, with multiple spellings and variants of the same surname stemming from one place.

Famous people with the name Bromlow

• Charles Bromlow: an American major league baseball player who played with the Chicago White Sox from 1911 to 1914.
• Marcus Bromlow: an American actor and television producer most notably for his work on some James Franco films.
• Sarah Bromlow: an American actress and singer who has starred in several movies and stage productions.
• John Bromlow: an American journalist who has written on issues such as health care and poverty.
• Jake Bromlow: an American basketball player who played professionally in Europe.
• Mike Bromlow: an American investor and entrepreneur who popularized stock-based investments.
• Lucy Bromlow: an American author and poet who has written several books geared towards young adults.
• Tony Bromlow: an American musician who has produced several albums throughout his career.
• Paul Bromlow: an American politician and former governor of South Dakota.
• Annie Bromlow: an American television personality and anchor who can be seen on CNN and other major news networks.

Other surnames

BromletBromley