A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bruere family of England.
Reg. 6338 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Gu. two bends wavy or”
Englandc. 1710
Where the Bruere Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bruere arms are recorded
The Bruere arms were recorded in England, c. 1710.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried 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.
Anne of Great Britain
Sovereign of the period
Anne of Great Britain
1707–1714
Reigning in England when the Bruere 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 England.
Origin & History of the Bruere Family in England
The surname Bruere is rooted in the Old French language, where it originally functioned as a topographic name for someone who lived near a heath or a patch of heather. The word itself comes from the Old French term bruyère, which describes this type of shrubby landscape. By the time the family established a presence in York in 1710, the name had already been in use for several centuries across parts of Northern Europe. Families bearing this name were often associated with agricultural life or rural estates, as their surname served as a direct link to the specific environment where their ancestors first settled. Over time, as members of the family moved into urban centers like York, the name transitioned from a simple description of a place into a permanent family identifier that was passed down through generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bruyère
Old French term for heather or heathland.
This name
BruereA topographical name for someone who lived near a patch of heather or on heathland.
also spelled
Bruers
Related arms
Briwerevariant spelling
Bruersvariant spelling
Bevanrecorded with Bruere, same area
Tannerrecorded with Bruere, same area
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
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1710
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
