The Norman surname de Branham is derived from the village Brantham in Suffolk. After the Norman conquest of 1066, the most prominent tenant-in-chief of Brantham was Bishop Odo of Bayeux, who was the maternal half-brother of William the Conqueror.
Ancient Territory: A prominent early figure in Ireland was Robert de Branham, Sheriff of Kilkenny ca. 1250, who appears among several documents of the Irish judiciary until at least 1288. The de Braham family had lands in the Parish of Tullaroan and held several high-ranking positions in Kilkenny City. After ca. 1414, their surname was Gaelicised to Branan, or similar forms.