Bristo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

When the ancestors of the Bristo family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Gloucestershire, where the name is derived from the Old English words byrst and stow and when combined mean place by the bridge.

Early Origins of the Bristo family

The surname Bristo was first found in Surrey where they were anciently descended from Hamon aux Dents, Lord of Thorigny, who died in 1045. His son Hamon was at Hastings and became the Sheriff of Kent. His second son was ancestor of the Bristows through Stephen de Burstow about 1294. "Twyford Hall [in Twyford, Derbyshire] is the residence of the Bristowe family, who have been seated here from the early part of the 17th century." 1

Interestingly, one of the first records of the family was found not in England, but Ireland. Ralph de Bristol (d. 1232), Bishop of Cashel, "is mentioned by William of Malmesbury as having granted fourteen days of indulgence to the Abbey of Glastonbury. He became the first treasurer of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, in 1219, and was consecrated bishop of Cashel in 1223. He died about the beginning of 1232." 2

Early History of the Bristo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bristo research. Another 132 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1538, 1581, 1662, 1698, 1701, 1706, 1797 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Bristo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bristo Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Bristo has been recorded under many different variations, including Bristow, Bristol, Bristoe, Bristo, Bristowe and many more.

Early Notables of the Bristo family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Nicholas Bristow, Custodian of the Crown Jewels
Richard Bristow (1538-1581), an English Catholic controversialist and Biblical scholar
Robert Bristow (1662-1706), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Winchelsea (1698-1701)

Bristo migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Bristos were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Bristo Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Ann Bristo, who settled in Virginia in 1635
Ann Bristo, aged 22, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
John Bristo, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Bristo (post 1700) +

Marca Bristo (1953-2019), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1996 4

The Bristo 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: Vigilantibus non dormientibus
Motto Translation: For the vigilant not for the sleeping.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html