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Topic: Surname in question - Broggy/Brophy (Read 866 times)
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bushpoet
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 9
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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G'day Folks.
I have an ancestor by the name of William Broggy who fell victim to the judicial system for stealing a pig at 24 years of age and therefore sent before the bench and tried in Limerick on the 13th March 1828 and sentenced to seven years servitude.
William’s servitude was to be carried out in the colony of New South Wales and he would make the journey upon the ‘Governor Ready’, which sailed from Cork on the 21st of September 1828, under the Captaincy of John Young and reached Sydney on the 16th of January 1829.
His name was listed on the ship’s indents under Broggy. William was five feet two and a half inches [1.59 meters] and had dark brown hair. The record shows him assigned to an Elizabeth Pitt of Richmond in Cumberland County.
He eventually obtained a Ticket of Leave in 1833, but was finally granted a Certificate of Freedom in September of 1835. The documents still showed his name as William Broggy.
William entered into a relationship with a Mary White, though no record can be found of their applying for marriage banns. A son Michael was born on the 11th of April,1839, in the county of Cumberland. He was baptised on the 17th of May 1840 by the Catholic minister, Joseph Platt. The birth was registered in Sydney in the parish of St James and now showed William’s surname as Brophy and Mary White his mother. In 1843 William and Mary again had a child, this time a daughter, but the parish is not stated. They called their daughter Margaret Brophy.
Records then showed that William Brophy died in 1844, though details on the death certificate are very limited . His age is shown as 40 years, which fits in with the age of William Broggy and The ship, ‘Governor Ready’ was recorded as to how the person arrived in the colony. Though the surname on the indents shows Broggy and not Brophy. No wife or children are recorded, which may be in holding with the theory that he and Mary did not have marriage banns.
As initially mentioned, the ‘Governor Ready’s’ ships indents show no record of a William Brophy, but that of a William Broggy. I have concluded that William Broggy and William Brophy were one and the same.
QUESTION:
Is the listing on the Indents of the Governor Ready an accurate recording of the surname or a misspelling, seeing that Williams later records show the surname Brophy.
Or was William just trying to start a new life with his partner and throwing off the link with his convict past?
Is the name surname Broggy an old established Irish Surname and what time period does it go back to.
OR
Has it been derived over the years from misspelling.
I believe there are Broggy families around the Limerick area, and no disrespect to the origin of their surname.
I just wish to know if William was a Broggy or a Brophy.
Williams story can be seen at
http://users.tpg.com.au/thegrey/Callaghans.htm#William%20Brophy
Appreciate any help or a link to any Broggy or Brophy families originating from around the Limerick District.
Merv Webster
www.users.tpg.com.au/thegrey
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Brophy, Broggy, Sewell, Day, Lark, Webster
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Ruskie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4709
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Merv,
Welcome to rootschat!
To try to answer your question - it could be something as simple as the way the name was interpreted upon William's arrival in Australia. An Irish accent saying the surname Broggy may have been interpreted by non Irish officials as Brophy.
If William was illiterate he would not have checked that his surname was written down correctly.
Am I correct in thinking that Brophy is a more common Irish name than Broggy? Perhaps the official wrote what they thought they heard, or a surname they were already familiar with.
On the other hand, your assumption that William purposely altered his name may also be true.
I'll leave it up to the experts to offer their thoughts.
[I notice that you have also asked this question on the Limerick board, but for some reason I was unable to reply to you on that post because there was no reply button (maybe one of the moderators can advise)]
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Ruskie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4709
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Sorry Merv, I'm unable to help you with suggestions as to where you may search for records of William. 
I hope some of the Irish experts will be able to assist.
Alternatively, if you receive no replies here after a few days, it may be worth posting your question on the Emigrants to Australia board, as there may be Australians who have come across similar situations in theri own families.
Sorry I can't offer anything constructive.
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leprechaun
RootsChat Veteran
Posts: 699
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi,Merv,
The surname Brophy Is an old Irish Gaelic Surname.Origin Co,Kilkenny and Laois.
OBro'ithe-O'Brophy - now the O-is dropped. -Brophy.
While on the subject of the surname.
I did come across this.
Thomas Brophy this was 1879. Convicted at the Spring Assizes,held at Kilkenny and sentanced to five years penal servitude for firing a pistol at two people.One Thomas St JOhn and Patrick Kenny.
Also again William Brophy convicted at Nass Quarter sessions 16th Oct:1879 and sentanced to six months,hard labour for Burglary and Housebreaking. To Capt Alexander.
Crime was reported to the R.I.C.
Watch out for the Brophy's  Lep
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Geri510
RootsChat Pioneer
Posts: 1
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi BushPoet, I came across your post about William Broggy & have to say that he is probably a relative of mine. You are correct in saying that Broggy is an old Irish name & has been in the Limerick/Sligo vicinity for hundreds of years & are in fact still there. There are many now living in the US & UK.
My grandfather's name was also William Broggy, grew up in Meelick, Co. Limerick, worked for the Irish gov't & had 7 kids (6 boys, 1 girl - all who are now alive live in the States). I do know that the surname Broggy is very old & had been 'anglicize' when those with the name ventured far from Ireland. I actually found a picture of Micheal (on the net, see post), one of your William's kids but that is as far as I have gotten. I have done a coat of arms search & got the following: the name was spelt numerous ways including Brogan, Brogie, Brogin. The family has been around since before recorded time in Mayo, Sligo & Limerick & were in involved in many decisions in Irelands history - now while I'm happy to have this info I'm not really sure how accurate it really is, lol.
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