Brewnton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

Early Origins of the Brewnton family

The surname Brewnton was first found in East Lothian, at Brunton, "a village, in the parish of Creich, district of Cupar. This village, which is pleasantly situated, is inhabited chiefly by persons employed in agriculture, and in hand-loom weaving for the linen manufacturers of Cupar. " 1 2

One of the first records of the family was Walter of Burntoun who held part of Luffness in the reign of Robert III. 3 Further to the south in England, Adam de Brunton was listed in Shropshire, 20 Edward I (in the twentieth year's reign on Edward I.) 4

Robert de Brunton was found in Cheshire c. 1160-74 and later Edmund de Brunton was listed in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1234. 5

East Brunton is a township, in the parish of Gosforth, union and W. division of Castle ward, S. division of Northumberland. Nearby we find High and Low Brunton and West Brunton. Collectively they date back to 1242 when they were known as Burneton and literally meant "farmstead by a stream," from the Old English "burna" + "tun. 6

Early History of the Brewnton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brewnton research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1140, 1200, 1585, 1844 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Brewnton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brewnton Spelling Variations

Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Brewnton has been spelled Brunton, Brunten, Bruntin and others.

Early Notables of the Brewnton family

Notable amongst the family at this time was George Brunton, a writer in Edinburgh; Professor Alexander Brunton, a Professor of Oriental Languages at the University of Edinburgh; and David Brunton represented Lanarkshire in Scottish Parliament in 1585. Many years later Sir Thomas...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brewnton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brewnton family

Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations. Among them: Grozel Brunton, who came to Salem, Massachusetts in 1745; and James Brunton who settled in Philadelphia in 1840.

The Brewnton 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: Fax mentis incendium gloriae
Motto Translation: The torch of glory inflames the mind.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)