Contents [hide]

Bryson History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Bryson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

The surname Bryson and its variants are phonetic interpretations of the Irish name Ó Muirgheasain. 1 Over time, many of this name became known by the name Morrison; however the modern translation this Gaelic name is generally Bryson, and sometimes in County Mayo, Price. There is also an English surname Bryson, and no doubt some of them have emigrated to Ireland over the centuries.

Early Origins of the Bryson family

The surname Bryson was first found in Ulster (Irish: Ulaidh), in Counties Donegal and Derry, where it was first documented as Mrieson and other similar variants in the 17th century. O'Morison was listed in 1606 in County Donegal, as well as O'Mrisane in 1659, which was considered a principal name of the county by the census of that year. In the Diocese of Derry, Bishop Montgomery called the erenagh of Clonmany in Inishowen, Donatus O'Morison. 1

Early History of the Bryson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bryson research. More information is included under the topic Early Bryson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bryson Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bryson, Briceson, Mrieson, O'Mrisane, O'Morison, Morison and many more.

Early Notables of the Bryson family

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

Bryson Ranking

In the United States, the name Bryson is the 1,653^rd most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 2

Bryson migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bryson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Bryson, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 3
James Bryson, who landed in New York in 1774 3
Samuel Bryson, who arrived in America in 1798-1801 3

Bryson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mrs. Bryson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 3
Robert Bryson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 3
Jean Bryson, aged 2, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 3
Christian Bryson, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 3
Elizabeth Bryson, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bryson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bryson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Nancy Bryson, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Bartley" in 1833
John Bryson, aged 52, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
John Bryson, aged 12, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
James Bryson, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
Joseph Bryson, aged 8, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bryson migration to Australia +

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

Bryson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Bryson, who arrived in Port Misery aboard the ship "Duchess of Northumberland" in 1839 4
Miss Isabella Bryson, (Campbell, Bryceland) who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
Maria Bryson, aged 19, a housemaid, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" 6

Bryson 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:

Bryson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Bryson, aged 26, a gardener, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1841
Catherine Bryson, aged 21, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1841
Mr. Thomas Bryson, (b. 1814), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Olympus" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th April 1841 7
Mrs. Catherine Bryson, (b. 1819), aged 21, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Olympus" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th April 1841 7
Mr. Robert Bryson, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Three Bells" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 13th July 1858 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bryson (post 1700) +

Jeanie Bryson (b. 1958), American singer
Adrian Shawn Bryson (b. 1976), American NFL football running back
William Eugene Bryson (1915-1986), American sports journalist for the Des Moines Register for 50 years
William C. Bryson (b. 1945), United States federal judge
John E. Bryson (b. 1943), American politician, the 37th Secretary of Commerce, former Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Edison International
Reid Bryson (1920-2008), American atmospheric scientist, geologist and meteorologist, former Professor Emeritus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Global Laureate by the United Nations Global Environment Program in 1990
William "Bill" McGuire Bryson OBE (b. 1951), American-born, English author, Chancellor of Durham University
Shawn Bryson, American football player with the Buffalo Bills
Lyman Bryson (1888-1959), American educator and author
Carla Bryson, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maine, 2004 8
... (Another 26 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bryson family +

North Sea Flood

Nancy Adair Bryson, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

St. Francis Dam

Mr. John Howard Bryson, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
"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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THE DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND - 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839DuchessOfNorthumberland.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) EPAMINONDAS 1852. Retrieved www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/epaminondas1852.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html