Next in my series of “Genealogies of the Famous” is Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In 2002 a British poll put him as the 2nd greatest Briton (the first was Winston Churchill). It is not that surprising, as his achievements as a civil engineer are pretty amazing, and his legacy stays with us in many of our railways, bridges and tunnels, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge, The Great Western Railway and Box Tunnel.
I am not going to give an overview of his life and work here, as that has been done elsewhere, but if are interested to know whether you might be related to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, then here are some of the surnames that are connected to him, either in direct relationship or through marriage: BRUNEL, KINGDOM, LEVEBVRE, SPRY, HORSLEY, JAMES, NOBLE, MADAN, CAMPBELL, JEBB, HAWES, HURST, MACCARTHY, HARRISON.
I have not found a published tree of Brunel, but I have done a little bit of research myself to find his ancestors, his direct descendants, and descendants of his siblings.
(By the way, if you’d like to learn how to trace your ancestors, have a look at my Step-by-step beginner’s course at Udemy)
DIRECT DESCENDANTS
If you are interested in living descendants of Brunel, then here is a summary of Isambard’s direct descendants:
BRUNEL
There do not seem to be any direct descendants of Isambard with the surname BRUNEL. Isambard and his wife Elizabeth had three children: Isambard Brunel, Henry Marc Brunel (also a civil engineer) and Florence Mary Brunel. Isambard junior married a Scottish woman, Georgina Geils D NOBLE, but they do not seem to have had any children. Henry Marc does not seem to have married at all.
JAMES
The line of descent can therefore only be traced through Isambard’s daughter, Florence Mary. In 1870 she married Arthur Coleridge JAMES, a housemaster at Eton College. They had two daughters, Celia Brunel and Lilian S. As there were no sons, there are no living JAMES direct descendants.
NOBLE
In 1891 Celia Brunel JAMES (granddaughter of Isambard) married Saxton William A NOBLE (another successful engineer) and they had four children, all born in Newcastle upon Tyne: Humphrey Brunel NOBLE (b. 1892), Marjorie Florence NOBLE (b. 1896), Marc Andrew Patrick NOBLE (b. 1897) and Cynthia NOBLE (b. 1898).
Humphrey Brunel NOBLE married Celia WEIGALL in 1926 in London, and as far as I can see, they had three children. I am not naming these here as they may still be living, and if they had children these are the NOBLE direct descendants of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Marc Andrew Patrick unfortunately died in World War I in 1917, and was not married.
MADAN
Marjorie Florence NOBLE (great granddaughter of Isambard) married Geoffrey Spencer MADAN. They had at least one child, Nicola MADAN.
CAMPBELL
Nicola Madan married Gordon CAMPBELL, Baron Campbell of Croy, and they had three children. These CAMPBELLs are the direct descendants of Isambard.
JEBB
Cynthia NOBLE (great granddaughter of Isambard) married Hubert M G JEBB (politician) and had at least two children, who may be still living and have issue. These JEBBs are the direct descendants of Isambard.
DESCENDANTS OF SIBLINGS
Isambard had two surviving siblings, Sophia Macnamara BRUNEL and Emma Joan BRUNEL. A third sister died in infancy. There were no brothers.
HAWES
In 1820 Sophia Brunel married Benjamin HAWES (Whig politician) in Chelsea, London. They had six children, Sophia Brunel (b. 1822), Benjamin (b. 1828), Sarah Fox (b.1830), Isambard Brunel (b. 1831), Arthur Briscoe (b. 1833) and Maria Gurney (b. 1834). Isambard died in infancy, and I have only been able to find two marriages for the other children – though it is possible there were more.
Arthur Briscoe HAWES carried the line of descent through by marrying Susan CATTELL (born in India) and having 11 children: Arthur Reginald Murray (b. 1855 in India), Susan E. B (b. 1857 at sea), Florence M. (b. 1859 in London), Sarah M H (b. 1862), Frederick Benjamin Oliphant (b. 1863), Godfrey Charles Browne (b. 1866), Edmund G C (b. 1867), Ivan H. S. (b. 1869), David Marc A. G. (b. 1870), Percy Frederick B (b. 1872) and Winifred Mary B (b. 1874).
Amazingly, most of these children do not seem to have married and several of them were listed in the 1911 census as single people. One or two of them may have emigrated and so these descendants need further research.
Of all of these I was only able to find one marriage and continued line of descent. This was through Godfrey Charles Browne HAWES who married Ellen Wyndham LEWIS in 1895, and had at least three children : Benjamin Wyndham Brunel (b. 1897), Marguerite Vernon Brunel (b. 1900) and Ernest Isambard Brunel (b. 1905). As you can see, the Brunel connection is still proudly borne in the names of these children.
I am not sure whether Godfrey and Ernest married, but if they did their children would be the great-great grand nephews and nieces of Isambard.
HURST
Marguerite Vernon Brunel HAWES married Harold E HURST in 1931. I could not find any children for them, however, I have recently been informed that they did have at least two sons, one of whom was a solicitor (added 23/03/2018).
MACCARTHY
Sophia Brunel HAWES (Isambard’s niece, and daughter of Sophia) Charles Justin MACCARTHY (Governor of Ceylon) in 1848. Obviously, they traveled quite a bit, and I have only found one son, though there may be more: Richard H. MacCarthy (b. 1849 in Ceylon). Unfortunately, I was unable to find anything else about Richard and whether he married, so this is a line that needs further research, possibly outside of the UK.
HARRISON
Isambard’s other sister, Emma Joan, married George HARRISON (curate) in 1836. I have found one son for them: John HARRISON (b. 1844 in Brentford, Middlesex). I think that John married and had children, but unfortunately, because he moved around on the census (not always with his family), and also because this name is so numerous, I have not been able to definitively place his wife or children. He may have married a Harriet.
It is quite likely, therefore, that there are further HARRISONs who are direct descendants of Isambard’s sister, but this would need some extensive research, including the ordering of birth and marriage certificates.
ISAMBARD’S ANCESTORS
If you have the surname BRUNEL, KINGDOM or LEVEBVRE, there could be a connection with Isambard’s ancestors, but further research is needed:
BRUNEL
Isambard’s father was Marc Isambard BRUNEL (also a prominent engineer who designed the Thames Tunnel), and he was born in Hacqueville, Normandy in France in 1769. He was the son of Jean Charles BRUNEL and Marie Victoire LEVEBVRE.
I can find not other children on the IGI, and as I do not have access to any other French records, then further research would be necessary in French archives to find BRUNEL or LEVEBVRE connections.
KINGDOM
Isambard’s mother was Sophia KINGDOM, and she was born in 1775 in Plymouth, the daughter of William KINGDOM, an army and navy contracting agent. I believe that William was married to Joan SPRY, and they had numerous children. However, I have not been able to absolutely verify the marriage or children, and this would need further research to make any connections with any living descendants.
CONNECTION BY MARRIAGE
HORSLEY
Isambard was married to Mary Elizabeth HORSLEY. Her father was William HORSLEY. William was a musician who wrote many symphonies and songs, including the hymn, “There is a Green Hill Far Away.” Apart from Mary Elizabeth, he also had two sons, Charles Edward HORSLEY (also a musician) and John Calcott HORSLEY, a painter, who I believe designed the first Christmas card.
John Calcott married Rosamund HADEN, and they had at least several children (Walter Charles, Hugh John, Victor Alexander Haden, Emma Mary and Fanny Marian. Of these, Victor became a famous scientist and professor and was knighted in 1902. He married Eldred BRAMWELL and they had three children, Siward, Oswald and Pamela. Further HORSLEY descendants may be traced via these children.
I have not researched the other children of John and Rosamund, so it is quite possible that there are further lines of descent to be found through these lines.
Charles Edward Horsley was also married, but needs further research to trace a line of descent.
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Tracing Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s family has been a fascinating project. His children and extended family were successful in their own right, and the female members of the family seem to have married into very prominent and successful families. If you think there may be a connection with your family, I would be happy to carry out the necessary research (my fees are listed on my Research Services page). If you would like a copy of the tree I have compiled, please email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com.
Please also let me know if you have any preferences for my next famous person in my “Genealogies of the Famous” series.
Books About Isambard Kingdom Brunel:
Isambard Kingdom Brunel by L. T. C. Rolt
Brunel: The Man Who Built the World (Phoenix Press)
Brunel: The Life and Times of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
I have been told I am the first cousin 5 times removed of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. My great grandmother was Alice Kingdom, my great grandfather was William Quartermaine. Can you confirm this?
Hi Brian
I can see that Alice Kingdom married William Quartermaine in Croydon, Surrey in 1883. However, a lot of further research would need to be done to verify any connection. As it was Isambard’s mother Sophia whose surname was Kingdom, Alice would have to be a descendant of either a sibling of Sophia’s or higher up.
I will send you an email with further details.
Cheers
Ros
hello. please could u give me info on emma brunel.
asap please!!!
Hello! I am the great grandaughter of a french engineer named Ernest Brunel Christiaen that came to México as a son of the consul of France to build several proyects here before helping in the construction of the Eiffel tower in paris, in the early years of the twentieth century, he descends also from the brunel family of engineers Marc and Isambard, I have been told that the brunel family originally came from Amiens in normandy and my ancestor Ernest stayed here in México because during world war one his sons went back to france to fight the germans but most of them died as his mother in Normady was also killed by the germans…. 🙁 but his youngest son was not old enough for the war and .. he is my grandfather, called Roberto Brunel Christiaen.
Could you tell me if we are in fact related to Marc, and thetefore to Isambard please? Because the tradition of being an engineer is VERY strong in our family..! Thankyou!!
Corrections of the previous message: the name of Ernest is Ernest Brunel and his second last name is not Christiaen , that is the last name of his wife whose first name I don’t know and he came to México after helped Eiffel in Paris (not before as I incorrectly wrote in my previous message).
Sorry for my english..!
Thanks again!
Hi Ale
This sounds very interesting. However, I’m afraid I can only help with UK ancestry, and this looks as though you would need French ancestry. It certainly looks as though you have a very good chance of being related. Isambard’s father, Marc was indeed from Normandy – but I do not have any further information other than that in the blog post. You need to trace your ancestry back, generation by generation, using original sources in order to be absolutely sure, so you will need to contact a French genealogist to do this.
Best of luck
Ros
Should read, Baron Campbell of CROY not Troy
Hi Edward
Many thanks for pointing this out. I have now amended it.
Ros
It is said that in my mothers family, we are related to him somehow. My mothers surname is Kingdon with an N and my great grandfather was Zachary or Edward Kingdon.
I have the book on my Kingdom ancestors, it’s copyright and starts from the year 1166 AD. It is all very interesting indeed.
My grandmother was a Kingdom. Her grandfather came to Australia and settled and had a very large familly.
Actually through the centuries all of the Kingdom’s had large families in Cornwall and Devon UK
Thanks. I’m sure that the surname has an interesting origin and history. I didn’t know it was mainly in Cornwall and Devon.
Ros
They a where also in Somerset to. The de Kyngdone/Kingdon/Kingdom brass is atSt Hugh Churh in Quinthiok. It’s of Sir Roger de Kyngdone and wife and children.
Also the land that Buckfsst Abbey is on was left to the Monks by Sir Nicholas de Kyndone
Hi. You are exceedingly lucky to have information about your ancestors this far back! The origin of the surname seems to be a place name. According to one database, it’s most likely to be from Kingsdon in Somerset.
Ros
Dr Godfrey Charles Browne Hawes married Ellen Wyndham Lewis.
Children
(I) Benjamin Wyndham Brunel Hawes (1897-1975) did not marry.
(III) Ernest Isambard Brunel Hawes (1905-1981) married Margaret Knape in China. 3 children Marc Brunel Hawes b1948, Joanne Brunel Hawes b1942 who married Parick Geoghegan, Hugh Brunel Hawes b1951.
(II) Marguerite Vernon Brunel Hawes (1900-1989, known as Nancy) married Dr. Harold Edwin Hurst. 2 children Stephen Brunel Hurst b1931 who married Sylvia Mayer, Andrew Hurst b1935 who married Bernadita Olea Barriga.
Marguerite Vernon Brunel HAWES married Harold E HURST in 1931. However, I could not find any children for them.
Two children were born:
Andrew Charles Brunel HURST (1935-2011° and
Stephen Brunel HURST (born 1932). I am organising an art exhibition with him at the In Flanders Fields Museum next June. His grandfather Dr. Godfrey Charles Haws died in 1917 in the Seine Estuary near Le Havre, when sreving on a hospital ship.
Hi Piet
Many thanks for providing this information. I love the fact that the Brunel name has been kept on in many descendants!
Cheers
Ros
I grew up in Torquay, Devon, and when I was a child in the 80s I used to be friends with a girl named Luisa Kingdom (who hopefully won’t mind me mentioning her here – I haven’t heard from her in decades!). I was told that she was a descendant of Brunel (great-great grandaughter, perhaps?) and that her family dropped the “Brunel” part of the name during the second world war because it sounded so German. I never had any reason to doubt the story, but I do wish we’d kept in touch!
Hi Jayne
That sounds very interesting. If you are interested in getting in touch with your friend, you could try websites like peopletracer.co.uk or 192.com, which use electoral registers and phone books. You do have to pay a small subscription but it is worth it to contact someone you’ve lost touch with. I found a very dear old friend of mine through peopletracer recently, and we’ve now renewed our friendship.
Best wishes
Ros
Sophia Macnamara Brunel married my first cousin four times removed (Sir) Benjamin Hawes, and I have had much fun tracing their descendants down to the present day. A Descendant Report for her amounts to a frontispiece, 16 pages of text (including all the biographical notes I’ve managed to put together) and six pages of source references – its somewhat shorter if we cut out the BiogNotes.
If anyone is descended from Sophia I would be very happy to copy this report to them, with the normal proviso about not publishing information about living folk.
Thanks Don!
I would love to see my relative Dons homework on the hawes family. I have the family tree back to 1260.
hi I heard a while back that my mums side of the family named burnell maybe a descendant of isambard can u confirm this
Hi Julia
Thanks for your post. Surnames to evolve over time, and very often result in lines where there are completely different spellings. However, in order to confirm any links between families it is necessary to carry out detailed research involving reading original documents. This can take time, and there is no guarantee that a link will be found – however, whatever you find is always bound to be interesting! If you wanted any help with this research, I would be happy to carry out some work for you at my usual charges. Please contact me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com if you would like to discuss this.
Ros
I am a descendant of Benjamin Hawes MP and his wife Sophia Brunel, through their eldest son Benjamin. Very interesting to hear of all the distant relatives!
Hi Benjamin – nice to hear from you!
Hi I’m a Brunel living in Christchurch New Zealand. Struggling to piece together our side of the Brunel line. We know that Charles Brunel came to NZ from the Jersey Islands in 1857. Had been educated by French Fathers there and settled in Kaikoura. The name Charles seems to occur regularly back as far as Jean Charles Brunel in the 1700s. I believe Jean Charles was Marc Brunel’s father. Do you know the name of name Marc Isambard’s brother?
regards Terry Brunel
Hi Terry
Thanks for your post. I’m afraid that I have been unable to find much about the earlier generation as they were all born in France. The best thing to do would be to contact a French genealogist. I know of one, Elisabeth Peckeu – her LinkedIn page is: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/elisabeth-peckeu/46/387/378 If she can’t help, then she might know someone who can!
Good luck
Ros
Hi Im from newton abbot my father and grandfather from Plymouth and there’s was always talk of a Sara kingdom from south molton(north devon) being related to Brunel. I’ve just started my family journey and have got stuck around 1820. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Louise
Thanks for posting. Finding a link with your family and Brunel would take some hours of research. It certainly looks like their might be some connection with the Plymouth Kingdom family. If you would like me to help, I would obviously have to charge my usual fees of £20 per hour. I have sent you an email with more details.
Thanks
Ros
Hello I came across a sketch drawn in Shaldon nor Teignmouth in 1847 by Mary Horsley who you will know as the wife of isambard Kingdom Brunel who was working on the atmospheric railway at Starcross at that time. Can I contact any relative who might be interested and might be able to give me more info. Regards Steve
Hello, I stumbled across this. My name is Emma Brunel Smith (née Hurst) I am the younger daughter of Stephen Brunel Hurst (who’s mother was Magurite Brunel Hurst née Hawes) and Sylvia Hurst. I also have an older sister Sophia Jayne Brunel Hurst. My children are Evangeline Katherine Brunel Smith and Joseph Andrew Brunel Smith. We are determined to keep the name going and are very proud of our heritage.
Thank you Emma – I think it’s great the way the name has gone down through the female generations in order to keep it going and to remind family members of their heritage. It must be wonderful to have such a distinguished ancestor!
Ros
Hi, My husband has always been told he is a relative of IKB and we are not sure if it is just a family tale and we would love to know.
His name is Jason Paul Bagwell, his mother is Gina Clements (married Reginald Bagwell), her mother is Linda Valerie Rich (married Preston Clements) and her mother Mary Jane Hewitt (married John Rich).
I would love to know there is a relation as my husband is starting a business relating to IKB and it would be a wonderful story.
Thanks
Hi I have been told that I’m related to Isambard kingdom Brunell as my great grandmother is still alive and she has told us this information. The name kingdoms has been in our family as well. Her name is Audrey Short, I don’t know if you will be able to yrave anything down though! This is through marriage as well . I hope you can reply but no worries if you can’t.
Hi Katie
You would need to carry out hours of research to find out whether there is a link. The best way to do this is trace your family history in the usual way, starting with yourself and working back through your great-grandmother and beyond. If you want to know how to do this, I have an eBook out: Tracing Ancestors in the UKCheers
Ros
Hi, my 3rd Great Aunt was Susan Cattell who married Arthur Briscoe Hawes. Son of Benjamin Hawes and Sophia Macnamara Brunel. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was Sophia’s brother. I’m am researching my family tree so any information would be much appreciated.
Thanks
I have both James and Brunel in my name. Middle name is James and Last is Brunel LOl no idea if we are related or not but my father keeps saying we are but I don’t really believe it haha
Hi Ros,
My name is Beckie-Rose Reed and I am currently writing an assignment based on local history in my second year of university. For my assignment, I have chosen to write about my link to the great engineer. I am from Plymouth originally but now live in Newton Abbot in Devon. After hours and hours of extensive research, it has been concluded that our family are linked to IBK due to one of the many different variations of the spelling of the surname. My family name on my great-grandmother’s side is Collins … my ancestor married a lady called Mary Jane Andrews Kingdon, who is believed to be a descendant of IBK’s all due to a gentleman called Gowyn Kingdon (earliest record of him is 1565 – his marriage in Launceston) he later was buried in Plymouth in 1626 and it is believed that he was the founder of the Kingdon / m family in the St. Andrews parish in Plymouth. considering the many different ways in which the Kingdom / N’s tended to spell their names differently, even Sophia’s (IBK mother) brother Edward flipped between using an M and an N at the end of the name. This is a very tenuous link but an interesting one all the same!
Hi Beckie-Rose. That’s a really interesting assignment – thank you so much for sharing it here, and I’m sure it may be of interest to other readers. It is very true that surnames to change in all sorts of ways, and this is one of the ways we can sometimes be tripped up in our searches.
Good luck with your University studies.
Ros
I’m IK Brunel’s great great great grandson. My grandmother was Cynthia Noble. She had three children, Miles, Vanessa and Stella, only the last two had children.
Happy to give you more information if you need it.
Hi Isambard! Thank you so much for your contribution – it’s so nice to hear from a direct descendant. I am sure that anyone reading this post will be glad to respond if they need any help.
Cheers
Ros
Hi all. I’ve been building up my family tree and through family based knowledge and a DNA test, all signs point to IKB being my 5th great-uncle.
My connection is via Emma Joan Brunels son John Harrison. He had a daughter named Ada Harrison, who married Robert John Sexton. They got married and gave birth to my Great Grandmother, Anne Helen Sexton.
It didn’t pop up on my radar initially as information on the Harrisons wasn’t too forthcoming. However, Ancestry’s DNA “Thrulines” feature pointed out the connection.
Amazing stuff.
Hi again, it seems I posted too soon!
So, it seems that there was a John Harrison born in the same year, in the same district but to different parents.
The one in the censuses that was supposedly married to a Harriet seems totally different to the one related to the Brunels. Some of the records show the Brunel relation to not have an occupation, but rather he was funded by other sources such as his parents. The other John Harrison is listed as being a Carpenter.
I’m pretty sure that it’s just a case of a common name, mixed up with some good (or bad) timing causing the mix up. As I mentioned, I had been suggested the link via Ancestrys Thrulines feature which uses a combination of DNA, other peoples family trees, similar surnames and such. It’s not 100% foolproof though and it can suggest incorrect results so be warned fellow amateur genealogists!
That being said, it would be good to see if any other confirmed Brunel descendents on that side had completed an AncestryDNA test and had a public tree with several generations filled in on that side. It would mean we could put the issue to bed once and for all.
Hi Stuart
Thanks very much for posting this. It really does point how careful you have to be all the time – but especially when you are researching a common name! And even DNA testing can bring up confusing results. I hope you can find a true match – perhaps someone in this comment thread.
Best wishes
Ros
This is fascinating! My surname is Kingdom and my great-grandfather’s family originated from Oakford and Rackenford in Devon. My great-grandfather’s father (Thomas Kingdom) and his wife (Elizabeth nee Flew) emigrated to Australia in the 1860s from Rackenford, so I’m wondering if D Gilson (see comments Oct 2012) might be related? My great-grandfather’s grandfather was John Kingdon (married Sarah nee Osenham in Oakford).
I have a cousin who researched our family tree and I understand there is a direct line to Sophia Kingdom. There are a lot of Williams and Thomases as first (and middle) names in my ancestors’ families, and my great-grandfather and his siblings all went on to have rather large families in the late 1800s, early 1900s.
I’m thinking about doing Ancestry’s DNA test, but understand it may throw up more questions than answers (and I have privacy concerns about the results)!
Hi, from 1962 until 1964 I worked at NATIONAL SCREEN SERVICES in Alperton, London. One day i was contacted and told to attend an appraisal of my work and
future prospects . The address was SOHO Square London W1 . The gentleman who
interviewed me was Mr. Chris Brunel ! I was too shy to ask if he was related. In fact
he was the CEO of National Screen Services . A quiet, confident authoritative voice
who was clearly interested in all his employees . He questioned me on a number of issues and we discussed numerous work practices. After 10 minutes he expressed
satisfaction and wished me continued success in my career . I thanked him and left.
I believe I have read all the Christian names and not found anyone named Chris or Christopher ? Could this missing name be another one of the few that are currently not found ?
PS: I forgot to mention this gentleman’s age? My guess is that he appeared to be
from approx. 45 years to 60 ? Smartly dressed grey suit jacket , white collar and tie.
And finally he was bespectacled .
Hi, I’m George Brunel Hawes, son of Marc Brunel Hawes (son of Ernest Isambard Brunel (b. 1905)), so I think that makes me the great-great-great grand nephew of Isambard. We’ve been keeping the name alive in our children, Noah Nigel Brunel Hawes (b. 2013), Myles Martin Brunel Hawes (b. 2015) and Elodie Sara Brunel Hawes (b. 2018). Great to read this trhead and all the history. Thanks for all the efforts Ros!
Hi George – thank you so much for posting! I am so glad to see you’re keeping the name going through your family. What a great heritage for you and your children to feel proud of!
Best wishes
Ros