Charlotte BrontÃ `` was the third child of Patrick BrontÃ `` ( formerly `` Patrick Brunty '' ) , an Irish Anglican clergyman , and his wife , Maria nÃ e Branwell . Charlotte was born in Thornton , Yorkshire in 1816 , the third of six children , to Maria ( nÃ e Branwell ) and her husband Patrick BrontÃ `` ( formerly surnamed Brunty or Prunty ) , an Irish Anglican clergyman .