Show ContentsBryson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In the Scottish/English Borderlands of the medieval era, Bryson was first used as a surname. It was derived from the personal name Brice. The surname Bryson is a patronymic name, which means that it is derived from the personal name of the father of the bearer. Patronymic surnames can also come from the names of religious figures, or traditional folk heroes. In Scotland, the Bryson family was centered in the county of Berwick.

Early Origins of the Bryson family

The surname Bryson was first found in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Bryson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bryson research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1392, 1413, 1482, 1546, 1551, 1654, 1659 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bryson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bryson Spelling Variations

Scribes in the Middle Ages simply spelled according to sound. The result is an enormous number of spelling variations among names that evolved in that era. Bryson has been spelled Bryson, Brison and others.

Early Notables of the Bryson family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • David Bryson one of the plotters against the throne

Bryson Ranking

In the United States, the name Bryson is the 1,653rd most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. [1]

Ireland Migration of the Bryson family to Ireland

Some of the Bryson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 143 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bryson migration to the United States +

Most of the Boernician-Scottish families who came to North America settled on the eastern seaboard of what would become the United States and Canada. Families who wanted a new order stayed south in the War of Independence, while those who were still loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, the ancestors of these families have gone on to rediscover their heritage through Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bryson or a variant listed above:

Bryson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Bryson, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 [2]
  • James Bryson, who landed in New York in 1774 [2]
  • Samuel Bryson, who arrived in America in 1798-1801 [2]
Bryson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Bryson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 [2]
  • Robert Bryson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 [2]
  • Jean Bryson, aged 2, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 [2]
  • Christian Bryson, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 [2]
  • Elizabeth Bryson, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Bryson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bryson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Nancy Bryson, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Bartley" in 1833
  • John Bryson, aged 52, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
  • John Bryson, aged 12, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
  • James Bryson, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
  • Joseph Bryson, aged 8, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Bryson migration to Australia +

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

Bryson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • James Bryson, who arrived in Port Misery aboard the ship "Duchess of Northumberland" in 1839 [3]
  • Miss Isabella Bryson, (Campbell, Bryceland) who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [4]
  • Maria Bryson, aged 19, a housemaid, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" [5]

New Zealand Bryson 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:

Bryson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Bryson, aged 26, a gardener, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1841
  • Catherine Bryson, aged 21, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1841
  • Mr. Thomas Bryson, (b. 1814), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Olympus" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th April 1841 [6]
  • Mrs. Catherine Bryson, (b. 1819), aged 21, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Olympus" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th April 1841 [6]
  • Mr. Robert Bryson, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Three Bells" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 13th July 1858 [6]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bryson (post 1700) +

  • Jeanie Bryson (b. 1958), American singer
  • Adrian Shawn Bryson (b. 1976), American NFL football running back
  • William Eugene Bryson (1915-1986), American sports journalist for the Des Moines Register for 50 years
  • William C. Bryson (b. 1945), United States federal judge
  • John E. Bryson (b. 1943), American politician, the 37th Secretary of Commerce, former Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Edison International
  • Reid Bryson (1920-2008), American atmospheric scientist, geologist and meteorologist, former Professor Emeritus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Global Laureate by the United Nations Global Environment Program in 1990
  • William "Bill" McGuire Bryson OBE (b. 1951), American-born, English author, Chancellor of Durham University
  • Shawn Bryson, American football player with the Buffalo Bills
  • Lyman Bryson (1888-1959), American educator and author
  • Carla Bryson, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maine, 2004 [7]
  • ... (Another 26 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

North Sea Flood
  • Nancy Adair Bryson, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
St. Francis Dam
  • Mr. John Howard Bryson, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928


The Bryson 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: Vivit post funera virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue lives after death.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THE DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND - 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839DuchessOfNorthumberland.htm
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
  5. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) EPAMINONDAS 1852. Retrieved www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/epaminondas1852.shtml
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook