BRICE

Brice is a surname of Celtic and Gaelic origin that has been established in the British Isles since before the Norman Conquest. The name derives from the personal name Bricius, a Latinised form of a Celtic word likely meaning “speckled” or “freckled”. It was first applied as a nickname to an individual whose complexion bore visible spots or freckles and eventually became a family name.

Historical records show the name appearing in medieval England from the early 13th century. In 1240 a William Brice is recorded in the Fine Court Rolls of Essex; the name had been introduced to England and Scotland by followers of William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of 1066. Earlier references include a Bricius judex in the Abbey of Aberbrothoc, Scotland, around 1189, and a Bricius de Kyrkebi documented in 12th‑century London registers.

The saint Brice of Tours, a 5th‑century bishop and nephew of Saint Martin, is believed to have increased the name’s popularity throughout the Middle Ages. As his cult spread across Europe, the personal name was adopted in France, from where it entered English and Scottish records during the Norman period.

Notable persons carrying the surname include Thomas Brice, a martyrologist who died in 1570 and who published a list of English martyrs, and John Brice, who in 1685 was listed as a rebel to be transported to Barbados. The family was granted a coat of arms depicting a silver shield with a red fretty, a silver cross over all, enclosed within a black bordure charged with eight silver cinquefoils.

The surname has a number of spelling variants that have risen to common usage through the centuries. These include Bryce, Brise, Briss, Bryse, Bryss, Brisee, Bris, Brys, Bride and Brid. In some contexts the Latinised form Bricius persists and, less frequently, forms influenced by Gaelic patronymics such as O’Bryce, McBrice or MacBryce appear. In continental Europe variations such as Brisse or Le Brice are documented, and in Spain a variant Briz is occasionally noted.

In the modern era the name Brice is most frequently encountered in the United States, although it remains common in England, especially in the South of England, and to a lesser extent in Australia, Canada, France and other countries with historical British or French connections. Despite its varied spellings, every form recognises the same Celtic root and the historical legacy of a name that once identified an individual distinctly marked by their appearance.

Typical given names associated with the Brice surname

Male

• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Richard
• Robert
• Stephen

Female

• Alison
• Carolyn
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Helen
• Louise
• Margaret
• Nicola
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan
• Victoria

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Brice in...

Braille

⠃⠗⠊⠉⠑

Morse

-....-...-.-..

Semaphore

Surname type: From name of parent

Origin: Celtic

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: Wales

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: Welsh

Famous people named Brice

• Sian Brice - Triathlete
• Gordon Brice - Cricketer (1924 to 2003)
• William Brice - Ethnographer and linguist (1921 to 2007)
• Christopher Brice - Cricketer
• Alfred Brice - Rugby union player (1871 to 1938)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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