Show ContentsBriwes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Briwes family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Normandy. The exact location of the place from which the family name is derived is under dispute, as one may perhaps expect of such a prominent name. The traditional interpretation is that the name is derived from the place-name Brix, in La Manche. It is argued, however, that there is no real evidence in support of this, and that the name is actually derived from the place-name Le Brus, in Calvados. [1] A surname based upon an already existing place-name is called a habitation name.

Early Origins of the Briwes family

The surname Briwes was first found in Yorkshire where early record of the family found them at Middlesbrough, a town and parish, on the river Tees. "This place, at a very early period, had a chapel dedicated to St. Hilda, which, in the reign of Henry I., was granted by Robert de Brus to the monks of Whitby Abbey, on condition of their founding here a cell to that monastery; this condition was fulfilled, and the institution that was established continued to flourish till the Dissolution." [2]

"The family of Brutz, Brus or Bruce assumed its name from the Castle of La Brusce in Normandy, seventeen miles from Valognes, which was built by Robert de Brutz, or Brusce, a councillor to Duke Robert. His youngest son, Robert de Brutz, or in English, Brus, together with William, his son, followed the standard of their kinsman, the Conqueror, into England, where Robert is said to have died, very shortly after the battle at Hastings. William, his son, had the castle of Brember, in Sussex, and his descendants for several generations held rank as Barons of the realm. Adam, or Adelm de Brus, the second brother of William, came into England in 1050, attending Queen Emma; but, after her death, retired into Scotland. He joined his father and brother in the conquest of England, and for his services was rewarded with ninety-four lordships in Yorkshire. He died in 1079, and his son Robert is recorded in Domesday Book. He built the castle of Skelton, and founded the priory of Gisborough, in 1119; was at the battle of the Standard, in 1135; and died 1111." [3]

Skelton in the West Riding of Yorkshire held a special significance to the ancient family. "This place was given at the Conquest to Robert de Brus, a Norman Baron who came over with William, and who erected a castle here, of which scarcely any vestiges remain, the whole having been modernised in 1794. From this baron descended some of the kings of Scotland, and the present family of Bruce, marquesses of Ailesbury. The ancient manor [of Skinningrove] belonged to the Bruces, lords of Skelton, and came by marriage to the Thwengs, of Kilton." [2]

In the North Riding of Yorkshire at Liverton, other early records of the family were found. "This place, which at the time of the Domesday Survey was a barren and unprofitable waste, was granted by the Conqueror to Robert de Brus, lord of Skelton." [2]

"Robert de Brus was at the battle of Hastings, and held a great barony of ninety-four manors in Yorkshire [4], where he built Skelton Castle. Either he or his son of the same name (from the dates probably the son, as it is scarcely likely that the elder Robert should have outlived the Conquest for seventy-five years) married Agnes daughter of Fulk de Paganell, who brought him as her dowry Hart and Hartnesse in the Bishopric of Durham, "the maritime key of the Palatinate." How he acquired Annandale and his great Scottish estates is not so clear. Some say they were a grant from David I., having from his youth been "a friend and familiar of the King of Scots" at the court of his brother-in-law Henry I.; others believe that his second wife was Agnes of Annan, a Scottish heiress. " [5]

Robert I de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale (c.1070-1142) was the first of the Bruce family to hold lands in Scotland. He founded Gisborough Priory in Yorkshire, in present-day Redcar and Cleveland, in 1119. Close friends with David FitzMalcolm, later known as King David I of Scotland, he was granted extensive lands in he Cotentin Peninsula c. 1120.

William de Broase (d. 1211), was a "rebel Baron, the descendant and heir of William de Braose (alias Braiose, Breause, Brehus, &c.), Lord of Braose, near Falaise in Normandy, who had received great estates in England at the Conquest. The family fixed their seat at Bramber in Sussex, and were lords of its appendant rape. " [6]

Early History of the Briwes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Briwes research. Another 272 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1271, 1274, 1329, 1635, 1660, 1684, 1686, 1693, 1730, 1735 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Briwes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briwes Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Bruce, Brus (Gaelic), Bruys, Bruse and others.

Early Notables of the Briwes family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Bruce (1274-1329), King of Scotland. His body is buried in Dunfermline Abbey, while his heart is buried in Melrose Abbey. His embalmed...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Briwes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Briwes family to Ireland

Some of the Briwes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 134 words (10 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 Briwes family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Briwes name or one of its variants: Alexander Bruce who settled in Virginia in 1716; James Bruce settled in South Carolina in 1716; Richard Bruce settled in Virginia in 1650; James Bruce settled in New York City with his wife Janet and ten children in 1775.



  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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