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Show ContentsBridges History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The distinguished surname Bridges emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Bridges family originally lived near a bridge. The surname is derived from the Old English word brycg, which means bridge, and was sometimes also applied as an occupational name to a bridge-keeper. 1 The name Bridges is occasionally derived from residence in Bruges, a town in Flanders.

Early Origins of the Bridges family

The surname Bridges was first found in Somerset where there is evidence of a family of this name from Bruges of Flemish origin. These Bruges, or Bridges settled mostly in the south west counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire and later Hereford. One of the first listings of the name was of Robert atte Brugge and William atte Brugge who resided in Gloucester during the reign of King Edward III (1327-until his death.)

Gilbert atte Brigge was listed in Surrey in 1272 and later the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire include and entry for Nicholas de la Brugge. William ater Bregg was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and in Suffolk, Roger del Brigge was listed there in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. The Curia Regis Rolls for Oxfordshire include an entry for William de Bruges, de Brieges in 1205. 2

Walter le Briggere was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1327 and Walter Bregger was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. John Bruger was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Surrey in 1332. John le Bruggere, also called John de Ponte lived at Bridge End in Ockham Surrey in 1294. 2 Ponte is the French word meaning "bridge."

Years later, Giles Bruges (Brydges) had his manor of Archer-Stoke in Gloucestershire seized during the reign of King Edward IV (1461-1470.) 3

Another branch of the family was found at Horton in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "At a short distance from the Hall, is the seat of Francis Sharp Bridges, Esq., a descendant from a younger branch of the same family, who were zealous adherents of the royal cause in the civil war, and of whom John Sharp was severely wounded in an engagement with the parliamentarian forces." 4

In Scotland, the family's arrival there was much later as John Bridge was listed in Drum, 1658, and John Brig in Drum, 1691. "Throughout the country Brigg is in common speech the pronunciation of Bridge. Duncanus Brigis appears in Murthlac, Banffshire, 1550." 5

Early History of the Bridges family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bridges research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1378, 1427, 1462, 1491, 1493, 1497, 1511, 1548, 1552, 1557, 1564, 1578, 1594, 1595, 1602, 1614, 1617, 1620, 1621, 1624, 1625, 1626, 1628, 1639, 1642, 1646, 1655, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1702 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Bridges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bridges Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Bridge, Bridges, Briddge and others.

Early Notables of the Bridges family

More information is included under the topic Early Bridges Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bridges Ranking

In the United States, the name Bridges is the 496th most popular surname with an estimated 57,201 people with that name. 6 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Bridges is ranked the 895th most popular surname with an estimated 7,661 people with that name. 7

Ireland Migration of the Bridges family to Ireland

Some of the Bridges family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Bridges migration to the United States +

In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Bridges

Bridges Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Henry Bridges, who landed in Virginia in 1622 8
  • William Bridges, of London who arrived in New England in 1623 aboard the ship "Little James" 8
  • Thomas Bridges, aged 12, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Marmaduke" 8
  • Tho Bridges, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 8
  • Elisha Bridges, aged 16, who arrived in Isla de Providencia in 1635 aboard the ship "Expectation" 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bridges Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Geo Bridges, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 8
  • John Bridges, who arrived in Virginia in 1724 8
  • John Bridges, who landed in America in 1740 8
Bridges Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Anne Bridges, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 8
  • Mr. Bridges, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 8
  • Calvin Bridges, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 8
  • OS Bridges, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 8
  • Eliza Bridges, who arrived in Mississippi in 1856 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Bridges migration to Australia +

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

Bridges Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Bridges Jr., English convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • Elizabeth Bridges, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Amphitrite" on August 21, 1833, settling in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Daniel Bridges, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 11
  • Mr. George Bridges, (b. 1820), aged 26, English labourer who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for burglary, transported aboard the "China" on 34th January 1846, arriving in Norfolk Island, Australia 12
  • John Bridges, English Convict from Gloucester, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Bridges 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:

Bridges Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. W.R. Bridges, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Scott" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 7th March 1858 14
  • Mrs. Emily Bridges, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Scott" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 7th March 1858 14
  • Miss Louisa Bridges, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Scott" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 7th March 1858 14
  • John Bridges, aged 25, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jessie Readman" in 1872 14
  • Mary Bridges, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jessie Readman" in 1872 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Bridges 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. 15
Bridges Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Bridges, who settled in Jamaica in 1774

Contemporary Notables of the name Bridges (post 1700) +

  • Claude Russell Bridges (1942-2016), birth name of Leon Russell, an American musician and songwriter, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011
  • Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III (b. 1941), American three-time Emmy, two-time Golden Globe and one-time Grammy Award winning actor and director
  • Lloyd Bridges (1913-1998), American actor who starred in television series, and appeared in more than 150 films, father of Jeff and Beau Bridges
  • Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges (b. 1949), American four-time Academy Award-nominated actor and musician as well as recipient of a Golden Globe Award
  • Jerry Bridges (1929-2016), American evangelical Christian author, speaker and staff member of The Navigators
  • Roy Dubard Bridges Jr. (b. 1943), former NASA Astronaut with over 7 days in space 16
  • Everett Lamar "Rocky" Bridges (b. 1927), American former baseball player
  • Charles Bridges (1794-1869), English evangelical divine, educated at Queens' College, Cambridge 17
  • Michael Bridges (b. 1978), English footballer
  • Thomas Edward Bridges (b. 1927), English diplomat, 2nd Baron Bridges, British Ambassador to Italy (1983-1987)
  • ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Kenneth C Bridges (b. 1918), English Ordinary Telegraphist serving for the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve from Southall, Middlesex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 18
  • Mr. Ronald W Bridges (b. 1921), English Wireman serving for the Royal Navy from Bloxham, Oxfordshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 18
HMS Royal Oak
  • James Gibson Campbell Bridges (1923-1939), British Boy 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 19
Pemberton Mill
  • Miss Olive F. Bridges, from Calais, Maine, factory worker in the Pemberton Mill on 10th January 1860 when the mill collapsed trapping 900 workers as rescue attempts continued into the night, an oil lantern was knocked over further engulfing the trapped workers in fire, she survived by holding an elevator chain and climbing down
USS Arizona
  • Mr. James Leon Bridges, American Seaman First Class from Tennessee, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 20
  • Mr. Paul Hyatt Bridges, American Seaman First Class from Arkansas, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 20

The Bridges 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: Je garderay
Motto Translation: I watch over.
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  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)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. 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)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. 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)
  9. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1829 with 176 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1829
  10. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Amphitrite voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1833 with 99 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/amphitrite/1833
  11. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
  12. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 5th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/china
  13. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  16. NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Roy Bridges. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/bridges.html
  17. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 5 Feb. 2019
  18. 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
  19. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  20. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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