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The Brett name originally meant one that comes from Brittany, France, but now also means one from Great Britain as well.'
The Brett family for the most part lived what was in the southwest corner of the British Isle, called England, or now Great Britain. In the year 410, the Romans decided to give up Great Britain, which they had held for many centuries. At this time, the Romans were beginning to slide backwards and downwards, meaning they were beginning to feel the pressure of new dynasties coming to power, and they could no longer be what they once were, because of all the difficulties the Romans were feeling coming from the strife within. This had to do with the greed of the top administrators within Rome, as well as the Romans for many years had also been taking within their ranks of the military any and all abled body men they came in contact with from all nationalities.
After the Romans "abandoned" Great Britain, the Saxon Invasion began, from Germany, to take control over Great Britain. The Saxon's eventually conquered Great Britain, and held the Isle and held it for hundreds of years. When the Saxon Invasion began, many Brett's left the Isle and headed for Normandy, France, where they "rooted" their name and settled for several hundred of years, until the time 1066 AD.
This is the year and the opportunity the Brett's had been waiting for, because it is known that the Brett family joined with the Duke of Normandy. Nine men, changing their name to "Brito", who the Duke of Normandy called them Bretons, were the companions of the Duke of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings. Apparently these Brito's knew their chance of returning with the Duke, assisting him to become King of England in the year 1066, at the Battle of Hastings, was a good way for them to return to their homeland and receive land, from the Duke of Normandy.
On October 14, 1066 AD, the Duke returned, and faced the King of England on the battlefield of Hastings, near Hastings, England. The Duke won the Battle of Hastings and reward many of his knights and generals huge portions of land, which the Duke immediately declared England as his.
The Brett members in exile for about 700 years, returned triumphantly to England, and many settling in what was county Somerset, England, Kent, Sussex, and Essex, England.
There is a village in county Somerset, England, by name of Sampford Brett Village. There at their website, is an antiquated Brett family tree, where this family are descendants from one of those knights that served the King of England, then named Duke of Normandy in 1066 AD. The king's name was King William I, also named William the Conqueror.