The rugged western mountains of Scotland's coastline and the
Hebrides islands were home to the ancestors of the Brisben family. Brisben was originally a name for a person who had sustained a broken bone. This surname derived from the Old French word,
briser, which means
to break, and the Old English word,
bàn, which means
bone. This was also a
nickname, given to a person who was often involved in fights, which resulted in the breaking of bones. Members of the Brisben family were found in the county of
Renfrew (now part of the Strathclyde region), in
Scotland, where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the
Norman Conquest, in 1066.
Early Origins of the Brisben family
The surname Brisben was first found in
Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of
Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of
Renfrew, East
Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern
Scotland. Probably the first of the name in
Scotland was William Brisbone, whose name appears on a list of archers sent from Berwick to
Roxburgh in 1298. Thomas Brisbane or de Birsbane had a charter in
Aberdeenshire from Robert I.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Early History of the Brisben family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brisben research.
Another 151 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1332 and 1706 are included under the topic Early Brisben History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Brisben Spelling Variations
Spelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. Brisben has been spelled Brisbane, Brisbine, Birsbain, Birsbaine, Brisblane, Birsben, Brisbin, Birsban and many more.
Early Notables of the Brisben family (pre 1700)
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brisben Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Brisben family to the New World and Oceana
The hardy Scots who made the crossing settled all along the east coast of North America and in the great west that was just then opening up. At the time of the American
War of Independence, many United Empire Loyalists moved north from the American colonies to Canada. Scottish national heritage became better known in North America in the 20th century through highland games and other patriotic events. An examination of immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Brisben arrived in North America very early:
Brisben Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Margaret Brisben, who arrived in Maryland in 1664
- Margaret Brisben, who arrived in Maryland in 1664 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name Brisben (post 1700)
- J. Quinn Brisben (b. 1934), American politician, Candidate for Vice President of the United States, 1976; Candidate for President of the United States, 1992 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Brisben 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: Certamine summo
Motto Translation: In the battle's height.