Brown. Vide Browne.
Brown. Gilbert le Brun, Normandy, 1180. The name Brunus or Le Brun frequently occurs in Normandy, 1180-98. Many Normans were Brun, or Browne; but, in England, all Brownes were not Norman. The line of Hanno le Brun, Cheshire, temp. Henry II, is armorially connected with an Irish line. William Brone witnessed the charter of Dunbrody, 1178; Nigel le Brun had a writ of military summons, 1309, and Fremond Bruyn was one of the barons of Ireland, 1315-17. Richard de la Ferte accompanied Robert of Normandy to Palestine in 1096. He had eight sons, the youngest of whom, surnamed Le Brun, settled in Cumberland, where he had baronial grants, temp. Henry I. The family of De la Ferte, also called Le Brun, long flourished in Cumberland. The name Le Brun gradually changed to Broyne, Brown, and Browne. Robert le Browne, M. P. for Cumberland, 1317-1339, was grandfather of Robert, from whom descended the Viscounts Montague, the Marquises of Sligo, and the Barons Kilmaine.
Brownett. Robert Brunet, Normandy, 1209.
Brownlow. The Brownlows, Lords Lurgan, bear the arms of the De Tankervilles, Chamberlains of Normandy. Vide Chamberlain.
Bruce, from the Castle of Brus, or Bruis, now Brix, near Cherbourg, where are the ruins of an extensive fortress built by Adam de Brus in the Eleventh Century. Hence the Kings of Scotland, the Earls of Elgin, the Baronets Bruce.
Brudenell, or De Bretignolles, from Bretignolles near Alençon, Normandy. William de Bretignolles, in 1263, had a writ of summons to attend with his military array at Oxford. From this family descended Sire Robert Brudenell, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, 1520. The orthographic modifications of this Norman patronymic (from Bretignolles to Bredenell, to Bredenhill, and Brudenel) are clearly traceable upon the records.
Bruen, armorially identified with Bruin, with Brun, Le Brun, or Browne, of Cheshire.
Brunes, for Brun, now Brown.
Brunker, armorially identified with Brounker.
Brus. Vide Bruce.