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 Bruce Coat of Arms / Bruce Family CrestThis surname of BRUCE so celebrated in the history of Scotland, is of territorial origin, from the Chataeu d'Adam at Brix, between Cherbourg and Valognes. The ruins of the extensive fortress built in the 11th century by Adam de Brus, and called after him, still remain. The name was brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The first Robert de Brus on record in Britain was probably the leader of the Brus contingent in the army of William The Conqueror in 1066. He appears to have died about the year 1094. A son of this Robert de Brus, was the first of the family connected with Scotland. The first people in Scotland to acquire fixed surnames were the nobles and great landowners, who called themselves, or were called by others, after the lands they possessed. Surnames originating in this way are known as territorial. Formerly lords of baronies and regalities and farmers were inclined to magnify their importance and to sign letters and documents with the names of their baronies and farms instead of their Christian names and surnames. The abuse of this style of speech and writing was carried so far that an Act was passed in the Scots parliament in 1672 forbidding the practice and declaring that it was allowed only to noblemen and bishops to subscribe by their titles. Leading figures of the name include Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) was the hero of the Scottish War of Independence and King of Scots, victor of Bammackburn (1314) and the bane of the English. Alexander, 6th Baron of Balfour of Burliegh (1849-1921) was the British Statesman, and Lord in Waiting to Queen Victoria. Surnames before the Norman Conquest of 1066 were rare in England having been brought by the Normans when William the Conqueror invaded the shores. The practice spread to Scotland and Ireland by the 12th century, and in Wales they appeared as late as the 16th century. Most surnames can be traced to one of four sources, locational, from the occupation of the original bearer, nicknames or simply font names based on the first name of the parent being given as the second name to their child.Origin of Name: From the French town of Brix Plant Badge: Rosemary |
