Brislawn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Brislawn

What does the name Brislawn mean?

The Irish surname Brislawn is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic patronymic name Ó Breisláin, or "descendant of Breisleán."

Early Origins of the Brislawn family

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.

Early History of the Brislawn family

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.

Brislawn Spelling Variations

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 and many more.

Early Notables of the Brislawn family

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

Migration of the Brislawn family

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.

Contemporary Notables of the name Brislawn (post 1700) +

Matt Brislawn, American actor, known for his work on Singularity Session (2009), Floaters (2010) and The Children of Terra Firma (2012)
Robert E. Brislawn, American horse enthusiast from Oshoto, Wyoming who with this brother Ferdinand L. Brislawn of Gusher, Utah helped restore the Spanish Mustang, an American horse breed descended from horses brought from Spain in 1957