Breuer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The name Breuer was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Breuer family lived in Devon. The name comes from the Norman area of Brovera or Brueria, now Breviare, near Caen, in Normandy. In its more obvious Old English derivation, the name indicates the bearer is a professional brewer of beers or ales, and stems from the root breowan, of the same meaning.

Early Origins of the Breuer family

The surname Breuer was first found in Devon where they were found "at the time of the Domesday Survey and founded Tor Abbey." 1 Another source provides more detail. "Of 32 Praemonstratensian monasteries in England, that of Torre, founded and endowed by William de Brewer in 1196, was by far the richest; it was dedicated to Our Holy Saviour, the Virgin Mary, and the Holy Trinity. " 2

"In 1196, William de Briwere founded the great Abbey of Torre. De Briwere was a man of mark. There is a tradition that he was born on the shores of Torbay ; there is another that he was found exposed on a heath, as an infant, and thence acquired his surname. Prince makes him out to be the descendant of Richard Bruer, a companion of the Conqueror. Whatever his origin, he won wealth and fame. In some way not clear he succeeded to the manor of Torre ; and he held prominent positions in the Courts of Henry II., Richard I., John, and Henry III. a statesman of ability and trust. " 3

Henry de Briwere is generally thought to be one of the first recorded there, held five fees in Devon during the reign of King Stephen (1135-1154.) 4

"The Abbey of Dunkeswell, [Devon] sheltered among the neighbouring hills, was founded in 1201 by William Lord Briwere. Two years previously, he had acquired the manor of Dunkeswell, and this formed part of the endowment of the Abbey, with Briwere's lands in Wolford and at Uffculme. Dunkeswell was colonized by monks from Ford, and the convent of that place was liberal of its gifts to the daughter house. There were also other donors, so that the Abbey had a very fair start in life. Dunkeswell was chosen by the founder as his burial-place in 1227, and it is presumed that his wife was also buried there. Not long since, two stone coffins were found within the ruins of the Abbey Church, one containing the bones of a man, and the other those of a woman ; and these are believed to have been the remains of Lord and Lady Briwere. All the bones were placed in one of the coffins, and reinterred." 3

"Buckland Brewer, [Devon] has name from the Briweres; and, by the gift of William Lord Briwere, formed part of the endowments of the Abbeys of Dunkeswell and Torre. " 3

"Tawstock used, in the common talk of the countryside, to be regarded as having the finest manor, the richest rectory, and the most stately residence at any rate in North Devon. William Lord Briwere held it in the reign of Henry II., and gave it to his daughter on her marriage with Robert, Earl of Leicester. " 3

William Brewer, Briwere or Bruer (d. 1226), was Baron and judge, the son of Henry Brewer (Dugdale, Baronage), who was "sheriff of Devon during the latter part of the reign of Henry II, and was a justice itinerant in 1187. He bought land at Ilesham in Devon, and received from the king the office of forester of the forest of Bere in Hampshire. When Richard left England, in December 1189, he appointed Brewer to be one of the four justices to whom he committed the charge of the kingdom. During the reign of John, Brewer held a prominent place among the king's counsellors. His name appears among the witnesses of the disgraceful treaty made with Philip at Thouars in 1206. He died in 1226, having assumed, probably when actually dying, as was not infrequently done, the habit of a monk at Dunkeswell, and was buried there in the church he had founded. During the reigns of John and Henry III he acquired great possessions. " 5

Another noted source gives insight into St. Breward or Simon Ward, Cornwall and the aforementioned William Brewer. "According to popular opinion, as well as historical records, this parish derived its name from a warlike bishop, whose name it bears, and by whom its church was founded. William Brewer, who was consecrated Bishop of Exeter in 1224, was the son of Lord Brewer, Baron Odecomb in Somersetshire." 6

Early History of the Breuer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Breuer research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1611, 1624, 1626, 1655, 1724, 1726, 1743, 1744, 1776, 1780 and 1822 are included under the topic Early Breuer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breuer Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Brewer, Bruer, Bruyere, Brewyer, Breuer, Brower and others.

Early Notables of the Breuer family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Brewer, born in 1611 who was educated at Christ's Hospital until 1626, and brought up as a performer on the viol. was educated at Christ's Hospital [App. p.564 "till 1626"], and brought up as a performer on the viol. He flourished in the time of Charles I, the Protectorate, and part of the reign of Charles II. He was the composer of several excellent fantasias for the viol; and many rounds and catches of his are printed in Hilton's 'Catch that Catch can.' He was the composer of the pretty three-part song...
Another 272 words (19 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Breuer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breuer Ranking

In the United States, the name Breuer is the 10,656^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 7

Breuer migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Breuer or a variant listed above:

Breuer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Breuer, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1767

Breuer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Wilhelm Heinrich Breuer and Gustav Breier both settled in Texas in 1845
Elis Breuer, who arrived in America in 1845 8
Michael Breuer, who arrived in Brazil in 1845 8
Mr. Wilh. Hein. Breuer, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "B. Bohlen"
Mr. Wilh. Hein. Breuer, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "B. Bohlen"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Breuer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Elisabeth Breuer, aged 18, who landed in New York, NY in 1927 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Breuer (post 1700) +

Esser Leopold Breuer (1937-2021), American playwright, theater director, academic, educator, filmmaker and poet
Jim Breuer (b. 1967), American comedic actor
Marcel Lajos Breuer (1902-1981), American architect and designer
Louis Henry Breuer (1879-1964), American Republican politician, Member of Missouri Republican State Committee, 1908-12, 1918-22; Mayor of Rolla, Missouri, 1914-17 9
Lee F. Breuer, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Maryland 5th District, 1990 9
Carl Breuer, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in La Paz, 1938; La Guaira, 1943 9
A. Breuer, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada, 2011 9
Rolf E Breuer (b. 1937), German Banker
Josef Breuer, Austrian physician, whose works lay the foundation of psychoanalysis

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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, November 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html