In ancient
Scotland, the ancestors of the name Brysben lived in the Kingdom of Dalriada. In those days the name Brysben was used to indicate a person who person who had sustained a broken bone. This surname derived from the Old French word,
briser, which means
to break, and the Old English word,
bàn, which means
bone. This was also a
nickname, given to a person who was often involved in fights, which resulted in the breaking of bones. Members of the Brysben family were found in the county of
Renfrew (now part of the Strathclyde region), in Scotland, where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the
Norman Conquest, in 1066.
Early Origins of the Brysben family
The surname Brysben was first found in
Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of
Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of
Renfrew, East
Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern
Scotland. Probably the first of the name in
Scotland was William Brisbone, whose name appears on a list of archers sent from Berwick to
Roxburgh in 1298. Thomas Brisbane or de Birsbane had a charter in
Aberdeenshire from Robert I.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Early History of the Brysben family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brysben research.
Another 151 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1332 and 1706 are included under the topic Early Brysben History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Brysben Spelling Variations
The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of
spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Brysben has appeared as Brisbane, Brisbine, Birsbain, Birsbaine, Brisblane, Birsben, Brisbin, Birsban and many more.
Early Notables of the Brysben family (pre 1700)
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brysben Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Brysben family to the New World and Oceana
The descendants of the Dalriadan families who made the great crossing of the Atlantic still dot communities along the east coast of the United States and Canada. In the American
War of Independence, many of the settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists.
Clan societies and highland games have allowed Canadian and American families of Scottish descent to recover much of their lost heritage. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Brysben or a variant listed above include: Margaret Brisben arrived in Maryland in 1664; John Brisban arrived in New York in 1819; Mrs. Brisbane with two children who landed in New Orleans in 1822..
The Brysben Motto
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: Certamine summo
Motto Translation: In the battle's height.