Breye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Breye came to England with the ancestors of the Breye family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Breye family lived in Berkshire where the local Brai is listed in the Domesday Book. Originally, the name, is a reference to the town of Bray, near Evereux, Normandy, where the family lived prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066. 1

"Brea, [in Land's End, Cornwall] which some have supposed to have been the original seat of the family of Brea or Bray, is now a farm house." 2

Early Origins of the Breye family

The surname Breye was first found in Northamptonshire where Sir Robert Bray who lived about the period of Richard I is thought to be the progenitor. "His great-grandson, Thomas, was lord of Thgunby, in the same county in the ninth of Edward II." 3

"This name occurs in all the copies of the co-called Roll of Battel Abbey, and that a great family so designated migrated from Normandy at the period of the Conquest seems certain. Three places in that province are still called Brai; two in the arrondissement of Falaise, and one in that of Bernal." 4

"William de Braye was one of the subscribing witnesses to the charter of Battle Abbey in 1088; but does not appear in Domesday. His name was derived from Bray, near Evreux. "Milo de Brai, father of Hugh Trussel, married, c. 1070, Litheuil, Viscountess of Troyes, and c. 1064, founded Longport Abbey, Normandy (Ordaric Vitalis). Milo de Brai, his son, was a crusader 1096 (Idem). In 1148 Richard de Braio held lands at Winchester from the Bishop (Winton Domesday). The De Brais possessed estates in Cambridge and Bedford 1165 5. A branch was seated in Devon in the thirteenth century." 1

"In Bedfordshire we find Eaton Bray, in the hundred of Manshead, a village about four miles from Dunstaple. 'The family of Bray were of consequence in the county,' says Lysons, 'at an early period. Thomas de Bray was knight of the shire in 1289, and Roger de Bray in 1312. When they settled at Eaton-Bray, to which they gave their name, does not appear; but it was long before they were possessed of the manor. Edmund Bray, grandfather of Sir Reginald, the faithful minister of King Henry VII., was described as of this place, and it appears on record, that the parish was called Eaton-Bray in the reign of Edward III. It is probable that the Brays held the manor under the Barons Cantilupe and Zouche. " 6

John Bray (fl. 1377), was an early English "physician and botanist [who] received a pension of 100s. a year from William, Earl of Salisbury, which was confirmed by Richard II. He wrote a list of herbs in Latin, French, and English, 'Synonyma de nominibus herbarum.' This manuscript was formerly part of the collection of F. Bernard; it is now in the Sloane Collection in the British Museum. " 7

"The manor of Rescaddock or Roscraddock, [St. Cleer, Cornwall] belonged anciently to the family of Bray. Trenowth was the seat of the ancient family of Bray, some of whom continued to reside here so late as the reign of Elizabeth." 2

Early History of the Breye family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Breye research. Another 285 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1260, 1376, 1380, 1440, 1441, 1500, 1503, 1538, 1644, 1656, 1700, 1730, 1790, 1794, 1868, 1883 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Breye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Breye 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 Bray, Braye, Braie, Brey, Breye, Brae and others.

Early Notables of the Breye family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Reginald Bray (c.1440-1503), English courtier, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under Henry VII. He was the second son of Sir Richard Bray, one of the privy council to Henry VI. "The father was of Eaton-Bray in Bedfordshire, and lies buried in the north aisle of Worcester Cathedral. "...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Breye Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Breye family to Ireland

Some of the Breye family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 114 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Breye family

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 Breye or a variant listed above: Mistris Bray who settled in Virginia in 1622; followed by Henry and Nicholas in 1652; John Bray settled in Maine in 1630; Rob Bray settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1679.

Citations +

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)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print