Brisbin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The name Brisbin is an age-old Dalriadan-Scottish nickname for a person who had sustained a broken bone. This surname derived from the Old French word, briser, which means to break, and the Old English word, bàn, which means bone. 1 This was also a nickname, given to a person who was often involved in fights, which resulted in the breaking of bones. Members of the Brisbin family were found in the county of Renfrew (now part of the Strathclyde region), in Scotland, where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the Norman Conquest, in 1066.

Alternatively, the name could have derived from "a place where courts were held; brys, a trial at law, and bann, a mount; breasban, the royal mount. The family of Brisbane is of considerable antiquity; the present descendants are in possession of an elbow chair made of oak, having the family arms, with the date 1357 carved on the back." 2

Early Origins of the Brisbin family

The surname Brisbin was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland.

"Probably the first of the name in Scotland was William Brisbone, whose name appears on a list of archers sent from Berwick to Roxburgh in 1298. Thomas Brisbane or de Birsbane had a charter in Aberdeenshire from Robert I. Alanus dictus Brisbane filius quondam Willelmi Brisbane shortly after 1334 obtained a grant from Donald, earl of Lennox of the land called Mucherach in the earldom of Levenax and of the land called Holmedalmartyne (Levenax, p. 61). In 1358 there is entry of a payment to Alexander Brysban (ER., I, p. 549), and in 1376 Herthornhill was leased to Thomas Brisbane (RHM., I, p. lxvii). Alan Brysban witnessed a charter of the lands of Ballebrochyr and Lechard, c. 1390-1400 (Lennox, II, p. 52). Another Thomas Brysbane, dominus de Latheris, in 1415 witnessed the charter of the barony of Cowie to William de Haya de Erole (SCM., II, p. 321), and in 1417 was present at a perambulation of the lands of Tarwas and Wldny (Udny) (RAA., II, 53). James Birsbane was proprietor of the lands of Reise and Akirgyll in Caithness, 1498 (Laing, 235). The surname is found in Aberdeen in 1401 (CRA., p. 382), in Perth, 1409 (REB., I, 26; II, 16), and in Edinburgh from 1610 onwards as Brisbain, Brisbaine, and Brisben (Edinb. Marr.). The Brisbanes of Bishoptoun acquired the lands of Killincraig and Goga in the parish of Largs, c. 1400. By a Crown charter, dated 1695, the estate was erected into the barony of Brisbane (Ayr Fam., I, p. 136), which thenceforth became the usual territorial designation of the family, 'Brisbane of Brisbane.' Alexander Bisbane, burgess of Dundee, 1674 (Brechin) was doubtless a Brisbane, and so likewise Agnes Bursbean in Colhowis of Dennie, 1622. 1

"In 1332, William Brisbane was Chancellor of Scotland." 3

Today Brisbane, the capital of the Australian state of Queensland is pronounced "Brisbin." The city is named for the Brisbane River, which is in turn named for Sir Thomas Brisbane (1773-1860), the Scottish-born, 6th Governor of New South Wales at the time of the city's founding.

Early History of the Brisbin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brisbin research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1706, 1750, 1758, 1766, 1769, 1773, 1774, 1776, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1787, 1789, 1790, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1801, 1807, 1812, 1826, 1829 and 1860 are included under the topic Early Brisbin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brisbin Spelling Variations

The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Brisbin has appeared as Brisbane, Brisbine, Birsbain, Birsbaine, Brisblane, Birsben, Brisbin, Birsban and many more.

Early Notables of the Brisbin family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier (died 1706), née Napier, a Scottish peer.Sir Charles Brisbane (1769?-1829), rear-admiral, fourth son of Admiral John Brisbane, who died 1807, was in 1779 entered on board the Alcide, commanded by his father, was present at the defeat of the Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent, and the relief of Gibraltar in January 1780, and afterwards in the West Indies. In the end of 1781 he was placed on board the Hercules with Captain Savage, and was present in the action of Dominica, 12 April 1782, where he was...
Another 595 words (42 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brisbin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brisbin migration to the United States +

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Brisbin or a variant listed above:

Brisbin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Charles Brisbin, aged 53, who arrived in Scylerville, New York, in 1920
Zerlina Brisbin, aged 22, who arrived in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1921
Florence E. Brisbin, aged 32, who arrived in New Castle, Pa., in 1924

Brisbin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Brisbin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. James Brisbin U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 4
Mr. William Brisbin U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Brisbin (post 1700) +

John Brisbin (1818-1880), American politician, Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
David Brisbin (b. 1952), American television actor
James Sanks Brisbin (1837-1892), American educator, lawyer, Union Army general during the American Civil War
Willsie Ernest Brisbin (1908-1948), American Republican politician, Member of Vermont Republican State Committee, 1938-42; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Vermont, 1940 (alternate), 1944 5
John B. Brisbin (1827-1898), American Democratic Party politician, Member Minnesota Territorial Council 2nd District, 1856-57; President of the Minnesota Territorial Council, 1856-57; Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, 1857-58 5
John Brisbin Jr., American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Saratoga County, 1832 5
James Willsie Brisbin (1881-1966), American Republican politician, Member of Vermont State House of Representatives, 1939, 1943; Member of Vermont State Senate from Washington County, 1945-47 5
Jake Brisbin Jr., American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Texas, 1992 5

The Brisbin Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Certamine summo
Motto Translation: In the battle's height.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html