Map of England showing where the Brouse arms are recorded
The Brouse arms were recorded in Devon, c. 1620.
Devon was a county of small manors and seafaring families. Its gentry were spread thickly across the countryside, and money made at sea often bought an estate, which in turn brought a coat of arms.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Brouse arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Devon.
Origin & History of the Brouse Family in England
The family name Brouse traces its roots to the rugged landscape of Devon, England, where members of the family were established by the year 1620. During this period, the name was likely associated with individuals living near brushwood or thickets, as the surname evolved from Middle English terms describing the local environment. Families in this region often worked as tenant farmers or tradespeople, contributing to the growth of rural parishes in the West Country. As the seventeenth century progressed, the Brouse name became woven into the social fabric of Devon, reflecting the lives of people who relied on the land and local commerce to sustain their households. This early presence in the English countryside suggests a long history of stability and community involvement that defined the family identity for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Brus
Old French term for brushwood or thicket.
This name
BrouseA topographic name for someone who lived near a thicket or brushwood area.
also spelled
Browze
Brouse
Browes
Brow
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Hoskins, W.G., Devon, 1954
The National Archives, Parish Registers of Devon, 1620
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wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
