Briskough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


Among the the peoples of ancient Scotland, the first to use the name Briskough were the Strathclyde-Britons. Briskough was a name for someone who lived in Briscoe in Scotland. The name Briskough is a habitational name, derived from a few sources. One source shows the name is derived from the Old Norse word Bretaskógr, which means, wood of the Britons. The second source shows that it may also be derived from the Old Norse words birki and stógr, which mean birch wood.

Early Origins of the Briskough family

The surname Briskough was first found in Briscoe, near Carlisle where the family were seated for three generations before the reign of Edward III. Later in Crofton in Cumbria (formerly Cumberland) and at Birkskeugh, in the parish of Newbiggan, were the ancestral homes of the family since 1390. 1 One of the first records of the name in Cumberland was Isold de Briskow. Later William Brys(k)how was listed in Yorkshire in 1410. 2

Early History of the Briskough family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Briskough research. Another 245 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1332, 1588, 1590, 1606, 1654, 1656, 1659, 1688, 1690 and 1845 are included under the topic Early Briskough History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briskough 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. Briskough has been spelled Brisco, Briscoe, Briscowe, Briscow, Briskoe, Briskcoe, Briskcow, Briskow, Briskowe, Bresco, Brescoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Briskough family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Briskough Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Briskough family to Ireland

Some of the Briskough family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 130 words (9 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 Briskough 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: Dr. John Briscoe who settled in Maryland. He set sail from Newbiggin, Cumberland, and settled in America in 1632; soon after the Mayflower; Ann Brisco settled in Virginia in 1635.



The Briskough 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: Grata sume manu
Motto Translation: Take with a grateful hand.





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