Brodie
A Scottish locational surname from the lands of Brodie in Moray, likely meaning “little ridge” or “brow of a hill.”
The #5,288 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 46,886 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Brodie is a Scottish local surname from the lands of Brodie in Moray. Early writers explain the place-name as referring to a small ridge, brow, or precipice, so the surname is tied to a landscape feature rather than a personal nickname. The name is therefore usually treated as Gaelic in origin, though later forms and spellings spread into Scots and English usage.
History
The Brodies of that Ilk are recorded from at least the 13th century, and the family remained associated with the Moray district for many generations. The surname later spread beyond Scotland, especially to England and North America, as people moved for trade, service, and emigration. Modern spellings can include Brody, though that form can also arise independently in other traditions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Lower’s 19th-century dictionary notes the Brodies of that Ilk as still in possession of their lands, an unusually long-running territorial association for a Scottish surname.
From the historical record
“" Bag-o'-drip," since refined to Broderip ! BRODIE. Lands in tlie shire of Nairn. The Brodies of that Ilk date from the XIII. cent., and are still in possession. BRODRICK. Came from Normandy temp. William Rufus, and settled in co. York. Peerage. BROKE. An archaism of Brook. The baronet springs from William de Doyto…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom