Bricius History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Bricius

What does the name Bricius mean?

The ancestors of the Bricius family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. The name Bricius is derived from the Gaulish saint Bricius, a nephew of St. Martin of Tours in the 5th century. From Gaelic, the name means quick or speedy.

Early Origins of the Bricius family

The surname Bricius was first found in Morayshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, around the 12th century. The name was originally Bricius, a Gaulish Saint of the fifth century, a nephew of St. Martin of Tours.

Early History of the Bricius family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bricius research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1189, 1203, 1296, 1370, 1532, 1569, 1570, 1636, 1648, 1690, 1696 and 1773 are included under the topic Early Bricius History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bricius Spelling Variations

The appearance of the printing press and the first dictionaries in the last few hundred years did much to standardize spelling. Prior to that time scribes spelled according to sound, a practice that resulted in many spelling variations. Bricius has been spelled Bryce, Brice, Bricius, Bryse, Breise, Bryces, Brices, Bryses, Breises, Bryse, Brise, Briece and many more.

Early Notables of the Bricius family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Bishop Bricius of Moray; Edmund Brice (fl. 1648 - 1696), an English translator and schoolmaster; Edward Brice or Bryce (1569?-1636), Scottish Presbyterian minister; and Elizabeth Brice (Amadas) (died...

Migration of the Bricius family to Ireland

Some of the Bricius family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 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 Bricius family

The expense of the crossing to the North American colonies seemed small beside the difficulties of remaining in Scotland. It was a long and hard trip, but at its end lay the reward of freedom. Some Scots remained faithful to England and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others fought in the American War of Independence. Much of this lost Scottish heritage has been recovered in the last century through Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Bricius: William Bryce who settled in Virginia in 1654; followed by James in 1659; Alexander, Ann, Jane, Mary, and William Bryce, settled in New York, N.Y. in 1774.

The Bricius 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: Fiat justitia
Motto Translation: Let justice be done.