Show ContentsBriskey Surname History

Briskey is an ancient Scottish name that was first used by the Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. It is a name for someone who lived in Briscoe in Scotland. The name Briskey 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 Briskey family

The surname Briskey 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 Briskey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Briskey 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 Briskey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briskey Spelling Variations

Prior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. Briskey has been spelled Brisco, Briscoe, Briscowe, Briscow, Briskoe, Briskcoe, Briskcow, Briskow, Briskowe, Bresco, Brescoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Briskey family

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

Ireland Migration of the Briskey family to Ireland

Some of the Briskey 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.

Migration of the Briskey family

In such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. Among them: Dr. John Briscoe who settled in Maryland. He set sail from Newbiggin, Cumberland, and settled in America in 1632; soon after the Mayflower; Ann Brisco settled in Virginia in 1635.



  1. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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