Bruss History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe origins of the great Scottish surname Bruss actually lie off of the British Isles, as Bruss (or Brus) was a name carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bruss family originally lived in Normandy. The exact location of the place from which the family name is derived is under dispute, as one may 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 Early Origins of the Bruss familyThe surname Bruss was first found in Yorkshire where Robert de Bruis was granted ninety-four manors. His son Robert de Bruys traveled north with Earl David of Huntingdon who later became King of Scotland and was granted large estates in Annandale, Scotland about 1150. Robert de Bruys had two sons: Robert and William. Robert, who became known as Robert the Bruce, would later claim the crown of Scotland and unite Scotland against the English. He defeated the English army soundly in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. "Robert, 'the Bruce of Bannockburn,' was arguably the most illustrious monarch that ever swayed the Scottish sceptre." 2 As a result of this battle Scotland gained its independence from England as declared in the Treaty of Northampton (1328). King Robert the Bruce died the next year at Cardross. Although he had instructed to one of his most trusted followers to bury his heart in the Holy Land, they were stopped in Spain and therefore returned to Scotland. His heart is buried at Melrose in Dunfermeline. The Earls of Elgin are descended from the Bruces of Clackmannan. Early History of the Bruss familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bruss research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1274, 1318, 1329, 1548, 1550, 1599, 1611, 1625, 1629, 1663, 1669, 1679, 1681, 1686, 1688, 1700, 1735 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bruss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bruss Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Brywiss, Broyse, Bruce, Bruice, Bruise, Brus, Broys, Brywass, Brues, Brywess, Bruwes, Bruys, Bruze, Brwze, Brywes, Bruse, Braose, Bruis, Browse and many more. Early Notables of the Bruss familyNotable among 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 heart was to be taken on crusade by his lieutenant and friend Sir James Douglas to the Holy Land but Douglas only made it as far as Granada, Spain. Other notables include: Edward Bruce, 1st Lord Kinloss PC (1548-1611), a Scottish lawyer and judge; Sir George Bruce of... Bruss RankingIn the United States, the name Bruss is the 12,258th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 Migration of the Bruss family to IrelandSome of the Bruss family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
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: Fuimus Motto Translation: We have been
|