Bridle Family History

from Bridwell in Uffculme (Devon) or Bridewell in Westbury (Wilts). The loss of -w- is common in post-medieval pronunciation of names in -well. It was occasionally retained or restored in the modern surname forms Bridewell and Bridwell. These names derive from Old English wella wiella ‘stream spring’ and the first element is brȳd ‘bride’ (or in the Devon name possibly bridd ‘bird’).

perhaps from Bride Hall in Sandridge (Herts) which is recorded as Brydelle 1294 and (as a surname) 1307 in Place-Names of Herts; its origin is uncertain. alternatively a variant of Britwell with intervocalic voicing of -t- to -d- and reduction of -well to -le -ell or -all as in (1).

perhaps occasionally a variant of Brittall (see Brettell) with intervocalic voicing of -t- to -d-.