Show ContentsBristow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bristow came to England with the ancestors of the Bristow family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bristow family 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 Bristow family

The surname Bristow 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 Bristow family

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

Bristow Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Bristow, Bristol, Bristoe, Bristo, Bristowe and many more.

Early Notables of the Bristow 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)

Bristow Ranking

In the United States, the name Bristow is the 5,457th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [3]


United States Bristow migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bristow or a variant listed above:

Bristow Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Bristow, who settled in Virginia in 1607
  • Richard Bristow, who landed in Connecticut in 1650 [4]
  • Eliz Bristow, who landed in Virginia in 1653 [4]
  • Robert Bristow of Gloucester county in Virginia in 1660
  • Robert Bristow, who arrived in Virginia in 1660 [4]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bristow Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Alice Bristow, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 [4]
  • James Bristow, who settled in the Carolinas in 1724
  • Margaret Bristow, who settled in Rappahanock Virginia in 1729
  • John Bristow, who settled in Virginia in 1741
  • John Bristow, who arrived in America in 1792 [4]
Bristow Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Bristow, who arrived in New York in 1832 [4]
  • Joseph Bristow, aged 31, who arrived in New York in 1854 [4]
  • Sarah Bristow, aged 4, who landed in New York in 1854 [4]
  • Anne Bristow, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1854 [4]
  • Fanny Bristow, aged 2, who arrived in New York in 1854 [4]
Bristow Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Harry Isenhour Bristow, who landed in Colorado in 1900 [4]

Australia Bristow migration to Australia +

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

Bristow Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Bristow Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Robert Bristow, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Cygnet" in 1836 [6]
  • janet Bristow, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Cygnet" in 1836 [6]
  • Eliza Bristow, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Cygnet" in 1836 [6]
  • George William Bristow, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Cygnet" in 1836 [6]
  • Mr. George Bristow, English convict who was convicted in Buckinghamshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 10th August 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [7]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Bristow 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:

Bristow Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Bristow, (b. 1838), aged 24, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 [8]
  • Miss Emma Bristow (Briston), (b. 1851), aged 15, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 [8]
  • Miss Caroline Bristow (Briston), (b. 1849), aged 17, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 [8]
  • Amelia Bristow, aged 15, a servant, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Siberia" in 1870
  • Miss Amelia Bristow, (b. 1854), aged 15, English general servant, from Surrey travelling from London aboard the ship "Siberia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st February 1870 [9]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Bristow migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [10]
Bristow Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Francis Bristow, who settled in Barbados in 1698

Contemporary Notables of the name Bristow (post 1700) +

  • Benjamin Helm Bristow (1832-1896), American Republican politician, Member of Kentucky State Senate, 1863-65; U.S. Attorney for Kentucky, 1866-70; U.S. first Solicitor General, 1870-72; U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, 1874-76 [11]
  • George Gates Bristow (1870-1939), American Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Francis Marion Bristow (1804-1864), American politician, United States Representative from Kentucky
  • Allan Mercer Bristow Jr. (b. 1951), retired American professional NBA basketball player, coach, and executive
  • Patrick Bristow (b. 1962), American actor and comedian
  • Gwen Bristow (1903-1980), American author and journalist
  • George Frederick Bristow (1825-1898), American composer
  • Deem Bristow (1947-2005), American actor and voice actor
  • Mrs. E. E. Bristow, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kentucky, 1928 [11]
  • Bill Bristow, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Governor of Arkansas, 1998 [11]
  • ... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Empress of Ireland
  • Mrs. Selina Bristow (1872-1914), née Clayton English Third Class Passenger from Leeds, England, United Kingdom who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking [12]
  • Mr. Charles Henry Bristow (1868-1914), English Third Class Passenger from Leeds, England, United Kingdom who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland [12]
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Harry Bristow (b. 1897), English Wireman serving for the Royal Navy from Willenhall, Staffordshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [13]
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Robert Charles Bristow (d. 1912), aged 31, English Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett [14]
  • Mr. Harry Bristow (d. 1912), aged 33, English Saloon Steward from Looe, Cornwall who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking [14]


The Bristow 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.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Cygnet arrived Holdfast Bay, Adealide Sept. 11, 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Cygnet.htm
  7. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  11. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  12. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  13. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  14. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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