Show ContentsBryan's History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Bryan's Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Bryan's

What does the name Bryan's mean?

The name Bryan's is of Norman origin, derived from the personal name Brian which was popular in France and Norman England before it came to Ireland. It has sometimes been used as a synonym for O'Brien, though it is of different origin.

Brian (926-1014), was King of Ireland, known in Irish writings as Brian Boroimhe, Boroma most commonly in earlier books as Brian Mac Cennedigh (Book of Leinster), and in English writings as Bryan Mac Kennedy and Brian Boru, He was a native of the northern part of Munster, and was of the royal descent of Thomond, of the family known as Dal Cais. Brian, who was born in 926, was the youngest of three sons. 1

Early Origins of the Bryan's family

The surname Bryan's was first found in County Kilkenny (Irish: Cill Chainnigh), the former Kingdom of Osraige (Ossory), located in Southeastern Ireland in the province of Leinster, where bearers of the surname settled in the 13th century.

Early History of the Bryan's family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bryan's research. More information is included under the topic Early Bryan's History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bryan's Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bryan, Brian, OBryan, McBryan, O'Bryant and others.

Early Notables of the Bryan's family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bryan's Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bryan's migration to the United States +



Bryan's Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Sarah Bryans, Irish settler who arrived in New Jersey in 1811 aboard the ship "Protection" 2

Bryan's migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bryan's Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Bryans, (b. 1836), aged 26, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 3
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Bryans, (b. 1838), aged 24, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 3
  • Mr. George Bryans, (b. 1854), aged 8, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 3
  • Mr. James Bryans, (b. 1860), aged 2, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Bryan's (post 1700) +

  • Ralph Bryans (1942-2014), Northern Irish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, World Champion (1965)
  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. 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)
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html

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