Brocket

This unusual surname is an interesting example of that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. These nicknames were given with reference to a variety of personal characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, and supposed resemblance to an animal's or bird's appearance or disposition. The derivation, in this instance, is either from the Olde English pre 7th Century "brocc", badger, ultimately of Celtic origin, or from the Old French "broque, brocke", from which was formed the Middle English "broket, brocket", a young stag, the final "-et(t)" being a diminutive suffix. The nickname from the former source was probably originally given to a vexing or mischievous person, and that from the latter perhaps denoted one who was lively and enthusiastic. One Ralph Broc was recorded in the 1119 Chartulary of the Abbey of Colchester, Essex, and a John Brocker appears in Early Records of Cornwall, dated 1297. On June 26th 1552, John Brockett and Margaret Porter were married at St. Margaret's, Westminster, London. John Trotter Brockett (1788 - 1842), the noted antiquary, made collections of books, coins and medals, and originated the Newcastle Topographical Society. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Brocket, which was dated 1279, in the "Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire", during the reign of Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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.