The Coordinator of the Rootsweb Message Board (for the Brecht and Bright names), Frank Logue, has advised me:

"As far as we can tell the BRECHT name is German in origin, however, there have always been "hints" there is an English connection! Our records (from the groups combined family tree - shown below) start with Conrad (Kuntz) Brecht and his wife Catherine of Neudorf.

Here in the States we have several BRECHT branches going, not all of which are tied together!

Our first immigrants are Anna Catherine Hoffman/Brecht the widow of Johann Michael Brecht. She and 2 sons, Stephen and Johann Michael, came to America in 1727, directly to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then shortly afterwards each son purchased sizable tracts of land in Berks County, PA to the northwest of Philadelphia.

In 1730 Susanna Margaretha Brecht and her husband Gabriel Roescher, Johannes Brecht and his wife Anna Margaretha Roemer, brought over Stephens two sons, David (my line) and Wendell Brecht. It is also possible that sister Apolonia Brecht and her husband Johann Jacob Eichleberger came over at this time. The reason I mention this is that, it appears this Brecht Family had some money from the sale of the family vineyards and tavern, and were able to pay for passage to Philadelphia.

This is NOT how the vast majority of Germans immigrated to the "New World"!

Are you familiar with the "1709'ers"? I mention this because it may be how the German Brecht name got to England! During the 30 Years War, our William Penn invited the stricken Germans to come to his colony. The British Queen Anne sent the fleet to Holland and retrieved thousands of starving Germans, and brought them to London. From there they were shipped to either N. Ireland or to New York.

I would assume some Germans stayed in England!

Frank Logue Montrose, PA USA"

May 2005

Descendants of Conrad Kuntz Brecht

1 Conrad Kuntz Brecht b: Abt. 1563 in Lindenfels, State of Hessen, Germany
d: 1612 in Neudorf, Kurpfalz, Germny
..+Catharine Of Neudorf b: Abt. 1570 in Neudorf, Kurpfalz, Palitinate, Germany

..2 Hans Brecht d: 1650 in Neudorf, Karlsrue, Baden, Germany

..2 Niclaus Brecht d: Bef. 1612

..2 Paul Brecht d: Bef. 1612

..2 George Brecht b: 1589 d: Bef. 1612 in Neudorf, Karlsrue, Baden, Germany

..2 Christoph Stoffel Brecht b: 1591 in Neudorff, Karlsr, Baden, Germany d: Aug 03, 1665 in Schriessheim,Kurpfalz, Palatinate, Germany
.... +Anna Barbara Wolpack b: 1598 in Schriesheim, Mannhm, Baden, Germany
d:Dec 27, 1683

... 3 Stoffel Brecht b: Aug 10, 1616 in Boeblingen, Neckar, Wuerttemberg , Germany

... 3 Magdalina Brecht b: May 27, 1623 in Boeblingen, Neckar, Wuerttemberg, Germany

... 3 Balthasar Brecht b: 1636 in Shreisheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Sep 09, 1703 in Shreisheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
....... +Anna Margaret Christman b: 1637 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Johann Ludwig Brecht b: Jun 12, 1659 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Apr 08, 1721 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
.......... +Anna Sybille Hering

...... 4 Anna Margaretta Brecht b: Feb 24, 1659/60 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Johann Michael Brecht b: Oct 12, 1662 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Aug 11, 1719 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
.......... +Anna Katherine Hoffman b: Oct 14, 1664 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Aft. 1726 in Berks Co., Pennsylvania

........ 5 Anna Margaretha Brecht b: Jun 17, 1685 in Schriessheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
............ +Casper Durst b: in Elvesheim, Germany

........ 5 Apolonia Brecht b: Mar 09, 1686/87 in Eschelbach???, Germany
............ +Johann Jacob Eichleberger b: Oct 02, 1685 in Ittlingen, Germany

........ 5 Anna Elizabeth Brecht b: May 27, 1688 in Schriessheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

........ 5 Balthasar Brecht b: Feb 26, 1689/90 in Schriessheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany d: Oct 1703

........ 5 Stephen Brecht b: Feb 17, 1691/92 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Sep 24, 1747 in N. Heidelberg Moravian, N. Heidelberg Twsp., Berks Co., PA
............ +Anna Margaretha Ulrich b: Dec 24, 1694 in Germany
d: Jun 29, 1722 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
........ *2nd Wife of Stephen Brecht:
............ +Anna Veronica Praxedis Kremer b: Abt. 1705 in Germany
d: Bet. 1740 - 1744 in PA
........ *3rd Wife of Stephen Brecht:
............ +Elizabeth Dehuff b: Abt. 1697 in Langenselbold, Graffschaft, Ysenburg, Hesse-Darmstad, Germany
d: 1751 in Gods Acre Union Church, N.Heidelberg, PA

........ 5 Susanna Margaretha Brecht b: Jun 12, 1695 in Schriessheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany d: in U.S.???
............ +Gabriel Roescher d: in U.S.???

........ 5 Johannes Brecht b: May 17, 1699 in Schriessheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Abt. Feb 09, 1756 in Springfield Twsp., Bucks Co., PA
............ +Anna Margaretha Roemer b: 1704 in Grossachsen, Germany d: Bef. 1750 in Bucks County, PA

........ 5 Anna Katharina Brecht b: Mar 22, 1703/04 in Schriessheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Jul 24, 1790 in Moravian Church, Lancaster, PA
............ +John Dehuff b: Bet. 1704 - 1705 in Maryland???
d: Dec 25, 1751 in Greenwood Cem., Moravian Church, Lancaster, PA?

........ 5 Johann Michael Brecht b: May 30, 1706 in Schriessheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
d: Sep 13, 1794 in German Reformed Church Burial Grounds, Reading, PA
............ +Margaretta Simone b: 1708 in Wargaboson, Franzreich( per Grandson Michael),France
d: Mar 21, 1778 in Heidelberg Reformed Church, Schaefferstown, Berks Co., PA

...... 4 Hieronymus Brecht b: Apr 02, 1665 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Paul Brecht b: Jan 27, 1665/66 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany d: Bef. 1712

...... 4 Anna Marie Brecht b: Jun 21, 1668 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Hans Balthasar Brecht b: Oct 02, 1670 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany
.......... +Catharina ??? b: Abt. 1675 in Wuerttemburg, Germany

........ 5 Maria Magdalena Brecht b: Nov 18, 1688 in Evangelish, Wuerttemberg, Germany

........ 5 Johann Jacob Brecht b: Feb 22, 1689/90 in Wuerttermberg, Germany

........ 5 Maria Elizabeth Brecht b: May 24, 1691 in Wuerttemberg, Germany

........ 5 Georg Heinrich Brecht b: Jul 17, 1692 in Wuerttemberg, Germany

........ 5 David Brecht b: Aug 29, 1695 in Wuerttemberg, Germany

........ 5 Andreas Brecht b: Nov 27, 1696 in Rheinsheim, Baden, Germany
............ +Maria Appolonia Zimmerman

........ 5 Hans Peter Brecht b: May 12, 1699 in Wuerttemberg, Germany

........ 5 Carl Brecht b: May 19, 1702 in Wuerttemberg, Germany

........ 5 Carl Ludwig Brecht b: Mar 16, 1703/04 in Wuerttemberg, Germany

...... 4 Dorthea Brecht b: Mar 24, 1671/72 in Shreisheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Johann Matthias Brecht b: Mar 15, 1673/74 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Maria Magdelena Brecht b: Aug 01, 1675 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany d: 1721
.......... +Johann Melchoir Fillbrunn

........ 5 Johannes Fillbrunn b: Dec 1694 d: 1756
............ +Francisca Shreckenberger
...... *2nd Husband of Maria Magdelena Brecht:
.......... +David Birgni

...... 4 Wilhelm Brecht b: Feb 16, 1676/77 in Shreisheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Eva Brecht b: Nov 23, 1679 in Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Anna Barbara Brecht b: Mar 06, 1679/80 in Shreisheim, Mannheim, Baden, Germany

...... 4 Hans Phillipp Brecht b: Jun 17, 1683 in Neckerhausen, Baden, Germany
d: Feb 19, 1731/32 in Neckerhausen, Baden, Germany
.......... +Maria Katharina Reinle b: Sep 18, 1695 in Neckerhausen, Baden, Germany d: Apr 04, 1764

........ 5 Maria Ursula Brecht b: May 10, 1731 in Neckerhausen, Baden, Germany
d: Jan 26, 1766 in Neckerhausen, Baden, Germany
............ +Johann Melchior Merkel

..2 Elizabeth Brecht b: 1595
.... +Hans Bauer

..2 Sebastian Brecht b: 1600 in Neudorf, Karlsrue, Baden, Germany
d: Apr 29, 1670
.... +Elisabeth ???

... 3 Peter Brecht

..2 Christina Brecht b: 1605 d: Jun 15, 1675

Colin Bower
28 February 2007

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Brecht Family - Main Index