HISTORY OF THE BRIMNER NAME :

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This interesting surname of Scottish origin is a regional name for someone from Brabant in the Low Countries, from the earlier Scottish "Brebner", "Bradbanare", "native or inhabitant of Brabant". The surname dates back to the early 15th Century (see below). Further recordings include one Agnus Brebner who witnesses an Elgin document of 1489 "Calendar of the Laing charters", and Andrew Brabnere was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1507.

Variations in the idiom of the spellings include Brimner, Bremner, Brymner, etc., Church records include one William, son of Robert and Catherine Bremner, who was christened, at St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster, on December 10th 1736, John Bremner who married Margaret Donaldson at St. Dunstan in the East, London, on September 11th 1763 and Margaret Bremner who was christened in Edinburgh on April 29th 1773.

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Brabounare held a tenement in Irvine, which was dated 1418, in the documents of the Royal burgh of Irvine, Scotland, during the reign of King James 1 of Scotland, 1406 - 1437. 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.

Our Brimner family including McPIKE, LEAF & SAUNDERS

Small numbers by a name refer to personal number in listing eg ALEXANDER 2 BRIMNER – see 2.

GENERATION ONE :

1.~ ~ ~ WILLIAM BRIMNER married CATHERINE McPIKE on 17 November 1851 at the Roman Catholic Church in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand.  Catherine was born in 1835 in County Antrim, Ireland and had arrived in New Zealand with her family on the Fencible Ship “Ramilles” on 5 August 1847.   William had arrived in New Zealand around 1842 possibly of the ship “Jane Gifford”.  He died in 1874.

   Refer to the McPIKE family for more information about Catherine’s family.

Children of WILLIAM BRIMNER and CATHERINE McPIKE were :

   ALEXANDER SPENCER 2 BRIMNER, born around 1854; died 31 May 1879.

   ISABELLA JOSEPHINE BRIMNER, born 1855 in Onehunga, Auckland; died 1930. 

   WILLIAM BRIMNER, born 1856 in Onehunga, Auckland.

   JOHN BRIMNER, born 1858 in Onehunga, Auckland.   John married AGNES (surname unknown)  He died in 1944.

   CATHERINE BRIMNER, born 1859 in Onehunga, Auckland.  Catherine married JOHN CHAFFE in 1882.

   MARY JANE BRIMNER, born 1862.

   JAMES BRIMNER, born 1864; died 1864.

   ELLEN MARY BRIMNER, born 1864 in Onehunga, Auckland.

   GEORGE HENRY BRIMNER, born 1867 (1867/1597) and died as in infant in 1867.

   SARAH ANN BRIMNER, born 1867 and probable twin of George (1867/1598)

   THOMAS BRIMNER, born 1868.

   CHARLES BRIMNER, born 1869.

   GEORGE BRIMNER, born 1871.

   MARTHA BRIMNER, born 1872.

GENERATION TWO :

2.~ ~ ~ ALEXANDER SPENCER BRIMNER (WILLIAM) was born around 1854; died 31 May 1879.  Alexander was the eldest son of WILLIAM BRIMNER and CATHERINE McPIKE.  He married ELIZABETH MACKIE on 18 February 1875 at St Peter's Church, Onehunga, Auckland.  Elizabeth was born on 26 May 1856 in Franklin, Tasmania, Australia.

Children of ALEXANDER BRIMNER and ELIZABETH MACKIE were:

   ELIZABETH 3 BRIMNER, born 21 December 1875 in Onehunga, Auckland.

   ALICE BEATRICE BRIMNER, born 22 September 1877.

   MARY DORIS BRIMNER, born 31 August 1879.  Doris married ARTHUR WALTER JAY in 1923.

Elizabeth married ALFRED LEAF on 8 October 1885 in Auckland.  Alfred was a Carpenter and was born on 19 February 1849; died 15 September 1919.  Elizabeth died on 28 January 1939 in Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand.  She was buried at Matakohe Cemetery in Matakohe, New Zealand.

   Refer to the LEAF family for information about the children of Elizabeth and Alfred.

GENERATION THREE:

3.~ ~ ~ ELIZABETH BRIMNER (WILLIAM > ALEXANDER) was born on 21 December 1875 in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand and was the eldest daughter of ALEXANDER BRIMNER and ELIZABETH MACKIE.  She married THOMAS ALEXANDER SAUNDERS on 27 December 1900 in Palmerston North, New Zealand.  Thomas was born on 1 March 1869 in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland and was the son of THOMAS ALEXANDER SAUNDERS and KATHLEEN MARY MORAN.  Thomas had arrived in New Zealand around 1897 and at the beginning of 1898 he was stationed at Cape Saunders Lighthouse, near Dunedin as a Rigger.  In 1900 he was living in Mangaweka and working on viaduct on the North Island main trunk railway line.  Thomas died on 17 June 1944 in Auckland.  Elizabeth died on 16 February 1937 also in Auckland.  They were both buried at Hillsborough Cemetery in Auckland.

Children of ELIZABETH BRIMNER and THOMAS SAUNDERS were:

~ KATHLEEN ELIZABETH SAUNDERS, born 19 September 1901; died 14 January 1986.  Kathleen married ALFRED LEVER.  Alfred was born on 18 December 1903 and was the third son of LEVI LEVER.

~ EILEEN QUINNE SAUNDERS, born 16 February 1903; died 15 August 1989.  Eileen married CHARLES TIMMINS.

~ LENORA JESSIE MAY SAUNDERS, born 29 June 1906; died 11 June 1998.  Lenora married LESLIE THOMAS JAMES MONTEITH in 1932 and they divorced in 1939.  Leslie was born on 26 January 1905.

~ JOHN ALEXANDER McLEOD SAUNDERS, born 6 September 1907 in Kohekohe, New Zealand; died 29 June 1986 in Auckland, New Zealand.  John married STELLA MAUDE PICKMERE.  Stella was born on 20 March 1902 in Whangarei and was the daughter of ARTHUR RANULPH PICKMERE and EDITH MARY WILSON.  John died on 29 June 1986 and Stella died on 27 October 1979.  They were both buried at Maunu Cemetery in Whangarei, New Zealand.

~ LUCIE RONA SAUNDERS, born 10 July 1910; died 23 October 1928 in Auckland.  Lucie was buried at Hillsborough Cemetery in Auckland.

~ RITA AVENELLE SAUNDERS, born 13 September 1912; died 31 December 2000 in Waiuku, South Auckland.  Rita married GLOVER McKERROW HAMILTON.

Please note that in keeping to genealogy publishing protocol I have not included information about later generations including living persons. If you have a family connection please contact me for further information.

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