IrelandThe Irish surname Brislawn is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic patronymic name Ó Breisláin, or "descendant of Breisleán."
The surname Brislawn was first found in Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel where the O'Breislein Sept, branch of the Cenél Enda held the district of Fanad, located in the Barony of Kilmacrenan. They were one of the principal Brehon families of Ireland, mentioned frequently by the Four Masters. Brehons served as judges, ambassadors and negotiators, brokering deals and treaties, and settling disputes between the feudal lords of medieval Ireland. They were the interpreters of Brehon law.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brislawn research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1306, 1307, and 1659 are included under the topic Early Brislawn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many spelling variations of the surname Brislawn can be found in the archives. One reason for these variations is that ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in a single person being recorded under several different spellings. The different spellings that were found include O'Breislein, O'Berislein, O'Breslin, Breslin and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Brislawn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the Brislawn name: Patrick Breslin, who arrived in New York in 1824; Mary Breslin, who came to St. John, N.B. in 1834; Condy Breslin and Constantia Breslin who arrived at St. John, N.B. in 1847.
