A short history of what has been found yet

The surname Brachwitz is a seldom name which spread mainly in the area between Berlin and Wittenberg, Germany.

The name is of slavic origin and the surname probably descents from the small village of Brachwitz near Treuenbrietzen. In this town a Michel Brackewitz is first time mentioned in an official document in 1337 as one of town councilers.

The oldest parish record is from 1604, the marriage of Lampricht Br. (died 1637) with Anna Döring (born 8. Dez. 1585). From Lampricht three main branches can be found (starting in Rahnsdorf) and the latter two can be traced to the present:

• the first (with Anna) became extinct during the time of pestilence.
• the second (with his second wife Brigitta, born 1581), the "farmer branch", can be traced in Zeuden and Klein Mahrzehns
• the third (with Brigitta), the "black smith branch" can be located in Dietrichsdorf.

Several other lines are found e.g in Schmögelsdorf and Zerbst. The Zerbst line is probably related to the Dietrichsdorf branch.
All locations above can be found between Berlin and Wittenberg, Germany.
One line was also found in Switzerland, descending from Jean Georg Alfred Br. born 1880 in Hamburg, Germany (with a branch in PA, USA) and another line in TX, USA, descending from Gottlieb Br. (born about 1827) who immigrated to the US on Dec 14, 1867 from Bremen to Galveston, TX with his wife and eight children.
Today about 160 entries can be found in public telephone books worldwide, 80% of them in the area between Berlin and Wittenberg. I have info of about 300 persons from past and present in my records.
If you have any information about people with the surname Brachwitz, please contact me.