This name comes from the Olde French 'brouet' or 'broet' which means 'soup made of flesh broth', and is a diminutive of the Olde French 'breu', earlier 'bro'. Forms of this word are also found in Medieval English as 'browet' or 'bruet'. The name Browett also spelt Brewitt is an occupational name used originally to describe a maker or seller of broth. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Brewett. which was dated 1524 - Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire. during the reign of Henry V111 nickname, Good King Hal 1509 - 1547. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.