Found this while surfing > J. Montgomery Seaver of the American Historical-Genealogical Society, in > 1929, wrote: >"A variety of prefixes employed with it such as de la Broke, ate Broke, ad >le Broke, apud Broke, etc. The name is common to all parts of England, >Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Names such as le Brok, del Brock, Bruc, >Bruckyse, the Flemish Broeckx; the German, Brucks; the Dutch, Broeks. >Among ancient records, there are mentioned Richard Atte Brooks (1419), >Martha Brookes (1616), the Brookes of Suffolk Co., who were descended from >William de la Brok or Broke, who was the owner and Lord of the Manor of >Brooke in Somerset County." http://coyote.accessnv.com/rondh/Part1.htm