Brewett

Recorded as Browett, Brewett, Brewitt, and others, this is an English medieval surname. It is however arguably at least of French origins and occupational. It derives from the pre 10th century Olde French word 'brouet' introduced into the British Isles by the Norman-French conquerors after the famous invasion of 1066. The word and hence the surname literally describes a maker or seller of soups, the word 'brouet' meaning a soup made of flesh broth. Other spellings of the word are found in Medieval English charters and registers as both browet and bruet. Occupational surnames only became heriditary when a son or sometimes a grandson, followed the original father into the same line of business. If the son changed the occupation, the original name either died with the father although sometimes the son might be known by both his name and that of his father, no doubt leading to considerable confusion. An early example of the surname recording dating back to the time of King Henry V111th (1509 - 1547) is that of John Brewett. He must have been a person of some consequence, and appears in the Subsidy Tax rolls of the county of Warwickshire in 1524. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.