Show ContentsGruyer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The story of the name Gruyer reaches back through Scottish history to the kingdom of Dalriada. The name evolved for a person who worked as a brewster or brewer. Gruyer is an occupational name, given to someone who held the occupation of a brewer of ale. The inclusion of the feminine suffix -ster, indicates that this was originally a woman's occupation. Members of the Gruyer family were originally found in Lanarkshire, where the family can trace its origin to shortly after the Norman Conquest, in 1066.

Early Origins of the Gruyer family

The surname Gruyer was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow. The Scord of Brouster is one of the earliest Neolithic farm sites in Shetland, Scotland dating back to 2220 BC. Some of the earliest records of the family include: Nicholaus, braciator regis (i.e. the king's brewer), was present at the perambulation of lands in 1219; Johannes the 'braciator' was one of the 'native men' of the Abbey of Dunfermline in the thirteenth century; and Thomas le Breuester of the forest of Passeley in the county of Lanark rendered homage in 1296. 1

Early History of the Gruyer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gruyer research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1379, 1382, 1480, 1560, 1599, 1620, 1623, 1644, 1645, 1653, 1656, 1659, 1663, 1671, 1674, 1698 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Gruyer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gruyer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations are the result of the medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English. Many spelling variations of Gruyer have been recorded over the years, including Brewster, Broster, Brouster, Brewester, Brostar and many more.

Early Notables of the Gruyer family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Robert Brewster (1599-1663), an English politician and officer who sat in the House of Commons between 1645 and 1659, he was a general in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War; Francis Brewster (1623- 1671), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1653 and 1656; and Elder William Brewster (c.1560-1644), Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher born in Doncaster...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gruyer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Gruyer family to Ireland

Some of the Gruyer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 65 words (5 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 Gruyer family

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Gruyers to arrive in North America: William Brewster who arrived in the " Mayflower" and settled in Plymouth in 1620, where he was the religious leader of the Plymouth Colony. He was from the Essex branch of the family, and one of his descendants was Henry Calvin Brewster of Rochester, New York..


Contemporary Notables of the name Gruyer (post 1700) +

  • Antoine Gruyer, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 2


  1. 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)
  2. Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, March 6) Antoine Gruyer. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html


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