Brittain

Variant of Britain; habitational surname from Anglo-Norman Bretaigne (“Brittany”), from Latin Britannia.

Brittain (countable and uncountable, plural Brittains)

1. A surname from Anglo-Norman.

   Alternative form: Brittan

2. A neighbourhood of Akron, Ohio, United States, formerly a settlement in Springfield Township, Summit County, Ohio.
3. An unincorporated community in Taylor County, West Virginia, United States.
4. Obsolete spelling of Britain.
   • 1606 August 14 (Gregorian calendar), [Edward] Coke, A Charge Delivered to the Grand Jury at the Assizes Holden at Norwich, 4th August, 1606; Containing a Just Delineation of Popery: and Other Valuable Documents, as Well for Rulers as for Subjects. […], London: […] J. J. Stockdale, […], published 1813, →OCLC, page 35:

     [T]his so famous and farre renown'd great Brittains Monarchy, had at one blowe endured a recouerlesse ruine, beeing ouerwhelmed in a sea of bloud; […]

   • 1661, Percie Enderbie, Cambria Triumphans, or Brittain in Its Perfect Lustre, Shewing the Origen and Antiquity of That Illustrious Nation. […]‎^[1], London: […] Andrew Crooke, […], page 21
   • 1695, William Camden, A Second Edition of Camden's Description of Scotland, page 94:

     Henry, by Mary Queen of Scots, had Issue James the Sixth, King of Brittain, by the propitious Grace of the Eternal God, born in a most auspicate and lucky Hour, to knit and unite in one Body of an Empire, the whole Island of Brittain, divided as well in it self, as it was heretofore from the rest of the World, and to lay a most sure Foundation of an everlasting Security, for our Heirs and the Posterity.

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Brittain is the 4096^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 8671 individuals. Brittain is most common among White (89.81%) individuals.

From Latin Britannus.

Brittain (plural Brittains)

1. Obsolete spelling of Britain.
   • 1628, Edw[ard] Coke, “Of Parceners”, in The First Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England. […], London: […] [Adam Islip] for the Societe of Stationers, →OCLC, book 3, chapter I, section 248, folio 168, recto:

     Sixtly, That this Realme was diuided into Shires and Counties, and thoſe Shires into Cities, Burroughs, and Townes, by the Bꝛittains.

   • 1658, Thomas Browne, chapter 2, in Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial‎^[2], London: Hen. Brome, page 28:

     But since this custome was probably disused before their Invasion or Conquest, and the Romanes confessedly practised the same, since their possession of this Island, the most assured account will fall upon the Romanes, or Brittains Romanized.

   • 1668, Serenus de Cressy, The Church-History of Brittany From the Beginning of Christianity to the Norman Conquest Under Roman Governours, Brittish Kings, the English-Saxon Heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) Monarchy, […], page 11:

     This is the same Claudia Ruffina which the Poet Martial afterward so highly commended for her illustrious birth, beauty and exquisite perfection both in the Grecian and Roman literature, expressly declaring that she was a Brittain.

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Brittain”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 1, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 230.

• Brittian