A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brees family of Ireland.
Reg. 2442 · Irish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
wolfReward from long service and hard work
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Az. a wolf ramp. ar”
Irelandc. 1645
Where the Brees Arms Were Recorded
Dublin
Map of Ireland showing where the Brees arms are recorded
The Brees arms were recorded in Ireland, c. 1645.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Dublin.
Dublin was the seat of government in Ireland and the place where grants were sought and recorded. Families with business at the castle or the courts settled nearby, and settling there put their arms on record.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Ireland in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in Ireland when the Brees arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Ireland
The Ulster King of Arms granted coats of arms to individuals who proved their social standing and good character. These symbols were typically inherited by all legitimate descendants of the original holder. If a family branch wanted a unique look, they could apply for a specific change to their design through the office to ensure their identity remained distinct.
Granting authority
The Ulster King of Arms acted as the official body that regulated and issued all coats of arms throughout Ireland.
How they got arms
Families obtained their arms through formal grants issued by the office after proving their eligibility and paying the required fees.
Where arms were recorded
All official grants were recorded in the registers held by the Ulster King of Arms starting from the year 1552.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Ireland.
Origin & History of the Brees Family in Ireland
The family name Brees has deep roots that trace back to the mid-seventeenth century in Ireland. Historical records confirm that members of the Brees family were established in Dublin by 1645. During this period, Dublin was a bustling center of trade and political change, placing the family in the heart of a rapidly evolving urban environment. The name likely evolved from regional variations in spelling, reflecting the way names were recorded by clerks who wrote them down phonetically based on local accents. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the city, living through the turbulent events that defined seventeenth-century Ireland. By settling in such a prominent location, the early Brees family members were well-positioned to participate in the commercial and civic life of the capital city.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ó Briain
Descendant of the noble or high one.
This name
BreesAn Anglicized variant derived from the Gaelic name meaning noble or exalted.
also spelled
Brese
Breis
Bries
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
National Archives of Ireland, Civil Survey, A.D. 1654-1656
MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland, 1985
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
wolfReward from long service and hard work
wolfReward from long service and hard work
