Show ContentsBryant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Bryant Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Early Origins of the Bryant family

The surname Bryant was first found in Essex, where the Domesday Book of 1086 records the Latin form of the name, Radulfus filius Brien at that time. The same source also notes Briendus de Scal in Cambridgeshire. 1 The variant Brien was recorded in 1088 in Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk. 2 The Chronicles of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London, 1188-1274 list Colin Briant, London, 1269. 3

The name is "a Breton name introduced into England by the Normans. In the north, it is Olr Brian, brought by Norsemen from Ireland (where the name was common) to Cumberland and across the Pennines into Yorkshire." 2

By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the family was scattered throughout ancient Britain: Wydo Bryan, Devon; Alicia Bren, Cambridgeshire; Acelot Bryvon, Cambridgeshire; Thomas filius Brian, Yorkshire; Alan filius Brian, Yorkshire; and Brian de Brampton, Gloucestershire. 3

"The intermediate stage between Brian and Briant, or Bryant, is found in the following entry: '1770. Married - John Briand and Barbara Backhouse': St. George's, Hanover Square." 3

Early History of the Bryant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bryant research. Another 263 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1150, 1296, 1524 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Bryant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bryant Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bryan, Bryant, Brian, Breine, Brine, Bryand, Briand, Briant, Bryane and many more.

Early Notables of the Bryant family

More information is included under the topic Early Bryant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bryant World Ranking

In the United Kingdom, the name Bryant is the 350th most popular surname with an estimated 17,920 people with that name. 4 However, in Australia, the name Bryant is ranked the 274th most popular surname with an estimated 12,588 people with that name. 5 And in New Zealand, the name Bryant is the 217th popular surname with an estimated 2,629 people with that name. 6 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Bryant as 751st with 57 people. 7 The United States ranks Bryant as 95th with 216,369 people. 8

Migration of the Bryant family to Ireland

Some of the Bryant family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bryant migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet
  • Miss Ann Bryant, British settler convicted in Kent, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Lady Juliana" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 9
Third Fleet
  • Mr. Thomas Bryant, (b. 1763), aged 24, English labourer convicted in Maidstone, Kent on 17th March 1784, sentenced for 7 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 10
  • Mr. William Bryant, (b. 1757), aged 30, Cornish settler convicted in Launceston on 20th March 1784, sentenced for 7 years for impersenation, transported aboard the ship "Charlotte" leaving on 13th May 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 22nd January 1788 10
  • Mr. John Bryant, (b. 1757), aged 30, English settler convicted in Exeter, Devon on 15th March 1785, sentenced for 7 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the ship "Charlotte" leaving on 13th May 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 22nd January 1788 10
  • Mr. Michael Bryant, (b. 1767), aged 20, English settler convicted in London on 10th December 1783, sentenced for 14 years for receiving stollen good, transported aboard the ship "Friendship" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 10
  • Mr. John Bryant, British seaman on the Navy support ship for the First Fleet the "HMS Sirius" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788
Following the First and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Bryant Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Bryant Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Bryant 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:

Bryant Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Uriah Bryant, (b. 1817), aged 22, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 15
  • Mr. John Bryant, (b. 1822), aged 17, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 15
  • James Bryant, aged 27, a gardener, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 16
  • Mary Anne Bryant, aged 24, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 16
  • James Bryant, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bryant migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 17
Bryant Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • George Bryant, aged 25, who arrived in Barbados in 1604 18
  • Thomas Bryant, aged 23, who landed in St Christopher in 1634 18

Bryant migration to Canada +

Bryant Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Bryant, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
  • Thomas Bryant, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Margaret Bryant, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Austin Bryant, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Mr. Patrick Bryant U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 19
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bryant Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Bridget Bryant, who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1846
Bryant Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • G Bryant, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Bryant migration to the United States +



Bryant Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Stephen Bryant, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1632 18
  • Mr. John Bryant, who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove" 18
  • Michaell Bryant, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 18
  • John Bryant, who arrived in New England in 1640 18
  • Jon Bryant, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bryant Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Ellianor Bryant, who landed in Virginia in 1700 18
  • Cornelius Bryant, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 18
  • James Bryant, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 18
  • Benjamin Bryant, who landed in New England in 1716 18
  • Uriah Bryant, who landed in Virginia in 1722 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bryant Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Martin Bryant, who landed in America in 1811 18
  • George Bryant, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1828 18
  • James C Bryant, aged 17, who landed in New York in 1830 18
  • Charles Bryant, who landed in New York in 1836 18
  • Charles William Bryant, who landed in Mississippi in 1846 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bryant Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Bryant, (b. 1879), aged 21, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 4th March 1900 en route to Greenwich, Connecticut, USA 20
  • Mr. James Bryant, (b. 1871), aged 29, Cornish miner, from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 31st March 1900 en route to Red Jacket, Michigan, USA 20
  • Mr. Andrew Bryant, (b. 1867), aged 33, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th September 1900 en route to New York, USA 20
  • Mr. William Bryant, (b. 1872), aged 31, Cornish miner, from St. Ives, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 31st May 1903 en route to Ishpeming, Michigan, USA 20
  • Mr. William P. Bryant, (b. 1846), aged 57, American labourer, from Port Isaac, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1903 en route to Pennsylvania, USA 20
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bryant (post 1700) +

  • Kobe Bean Bryant (1978-2020), American professional basketball player, two-time gold Olympic medalist; he and his daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash January 26, 2020 21
  • David John Bryant CBE (1931-2020), English three-times World (outdoors) singles bowls champion (in 1966, 1980 and 1988), a three-times World indoors singles champion (in 1979, 1980 and 1981) and a four times Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist
  • Donald Maurice Bryant (1942-2025), American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee
  • John Henry Bryant (1867-1906), British physician, and lecturer on materia medica and therapeutics at Guy's Hospital, London, namesake of the blue scrotum sign of Bryant
  • Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant (1954-2024), American professional NBA basketball player and coach who played for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets
  • Mr. Michael John Bryant M.B.E., appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Young Boxers 22
  • Barbara Everitt Bryant (1926-2023), American market researcher, the first woman to head the United States Census Bureau (1989-1993)
  • Cleve Bryant (1947-2023), American football player and head football coach at Ohio University from 1985 to 1989, MAC Offensive Player of the Year (1968)
  • Joyce Bryant (1927-2022), American singer, dancer and civil rights activist, an early African-American sex symbol, nicknamed "The Bronze Blond Bombshell", "The Black Marilyn Monroe", "The Belter" and "The Voice You'll Always Remember"
  • ... (Another 162 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Dorsetshire
  • George Stanley Bryant, British Sick Berth Assistant aboard the HMS Dorsetshire (1945) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 23
  • Mr. Denis M Bryant (b. 1905), English Midshipman serving for the Royal Navy from Kent, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 24
  • Mr. John H Bryant, British Stoker 2ne Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 25
  • Mr. Clifford Bryant, British Military Police, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 26
  • Henry Bryant, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 26
  • ... (Another 4 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Suggested Readings for the name Bryant +

  • Cradled in the Mountains: A Brief History: Bryant, Sheppard, and Related Families by Barbara Bryant White.
  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  5. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  7. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  9. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  10. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charlotte
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/broxbournebury
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  18. 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)
  19. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  20. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  21. Kobe Bryant. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Kobe Bryant. Retrieved from http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kobe_bryant/
  22. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
  23. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  24. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  25. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  26. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html

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