Bradshaw as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Bradshaw

What is the meaning of the name Bradshaw ?

The baby name Bradshaw is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced {'ipa': '/ˈbrædʃɔː/ (UK), /ˈbrædʃɑː/ (US)', 'respelling': 'BRAD-shaw'}.

Bradshaw is English in Origin.

Bradshaw is an English surname turned given name, deriving from Old English brād (“broad, wide”) and sceaga/shaw (“copse, small wood”), denoting someone who lived by or came from a “broad thicket.” As a locational surname it arose independently in several northern English places named Bradshaw, notably in Lancashire, Derbyshire, and West Yorkshire, and has been recorded since the medieval period.

Usage as a first name is modern and relatively rare, following the broader surname-as-given-name trend in the Anglophone world. Notable bearers of the surname - from the 17th‑century jurist John Bradshaw to NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw - have kept the name in public view, and pop culture (e.g., Carrie Bradshaw) reinforces its stylish urban profile. The name reads primarily masculine but can be used unisex. Variants include the archaic Bradshawe; related options are Bradley, Bradford, and Shaw. Common short forms are Brad and Shaw. Meaning: “broad wood” or “broad thicket.”