Brisk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

An ancient Strathclyde-Briton family from the Scottish/English Borderlands were the first to use the name Brisk. They lived in Briscoe in Scotland. The name Brisk is a habitational name, derived from a few sources. One source shows the name is derived from the Old Norse word Bretaskógr, which means, wood of the Britons. The second source shows that it may also be derived from the Old Norse words birki and stógr, which mean birch wood.

Early Origins of the Brisk family

The surname Brisk was first found in Briscoe, near Carlisle where the family were seated for three generations before the reign of Edward III. Later in Crofton in Cumbria (formerly Cumberland) and at Birkskeugh, in the parish of Newbiggan, were the ancestral homes of the family since 1390. 1 One of the first records of the name in Cumberland was Isold de Briskow. Later William Brys(k)how was listed in Yorkshire in 1410. 2

Early History of the Brisk family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brisk research. Another 245 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1332, 1588, 1590, 1606, 1654, 1656, 1659, 1688, 1690 and 1845 are included under the topic Early Brisk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brisk Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Brisk has been spelled Brisco, Briscoe, Briscowe, Briscow, Briskoe, Briskcoe, Briskcow, Briskow, Briskowe, Bresco, Brescoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Brisk family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brisk Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brisk family to Ireland

Some of the Brisk family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 130 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brisk migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Brisk Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Brisk, (b. 1811), aged 41, English sawyer who was convicted in Kingston upon Thames, London, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island), he died in 1853 3
Mr. William Brisk, (b. 1841), aged 11, English convict who was convicted in Kingston upon Thames, London, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island), son of George Brisk 3

Brisk migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Brisk Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

J. Brisk, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Triumph" in 1883

Contemporary Notables of the name Brisk (post 1700) +

Mike Brisk, American Sr. Manager, Design at Disney/ABC
Philip Brisk, American Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Bourns College of Engineering, University of California
Maria Estela Brisk Ph.D., American professor, teacher education/special education at Boston College

The Brisk 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: Grata sume manu
Motto Translation: Take with a grateful hand.

Citations +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian