Bruges History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEarly Origins of the Bruges familyThe surname Bruges was first found in Buckinghamshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Gloucestershire at Sudley Castle who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Early History of the Bruges familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bruges research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1375, 1427, 1450, 1472 and 1492 are included under the topic Early Bruges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bruges Spelling VariationsFlemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Bruges, Brugg and others. Early Notables of the Bruges familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was
Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bruges or a variant listed above: Bruges Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
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