Source for Brettingham Information Posted 15 Mar 2011 by MKBrobson

"De Brettenham and Brettingham - An English Family History" by Mr. Walter Brettingham of Virginia Water, Surrey, England. 1971

The name probably comes from an area "Brettenham or Brethenham"near Thetford.It is likely the name comes from the fact that there were a large number of native Britons in this area after the Anglo-Saxon takeover. Place of the Britons is perhaps a fair translation. The land was held by several oners, many with "de Brethenham" in the name.It is not known if they were related or if different families took up the term as describing their land-holding.

Baconsthorpe and Hempstead are adjoining parishes, now joined into one parish, located near Holt Market , in northern Norfolk.

William, the immigrant, is probably the ancestor of nearly all Brittinghams in America. It was with him that the name changed e to i. 

William possibly lived with an uncle after the early death of his parents. He was transported to America by John Nutthall in 1659 and the land rights Nutthall got for the act were transferred to Roger Woolford in 1663. The cost of passage was 5 pounds, paid off by an indenture of 7 years. William received his own land grants for transporting people.