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[Surname] Bruce
I can find that it is from de Bruys, Brieuse, Braose, de Braose, Brus, de Brus, de Bruis, Brix. Which is it and what is the derivitive element and it's meaning. My husband really wants to use Bruce for a son, but I had to know the actual meaning, and not just 'from Bruys' as I know Bruys would have derived from something.
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The best I can do is quote Basil Cottle in the Penguin Dictionary of Surnames, probably leaving you no wiser.'Some place in Normandy - ?"Briouze", Orne; ?"Le Brus", Calvados; not, apparently "Brix", Manche; the first is ?"muddy" O[ld] F[rench] from Gaulish, the second ?"heath" Gaulish or ??"maple" OF.'
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Thank you very much. Yes, I am not much the wiser, but, I must get a copy of that book. So, not all is lost. ;)It is just frustrating to me. My husband has a strange fascination with Bruce Campbell and wants to name our first son after him. The problem arises when I try to find the meanings and 'earliest recognized form' of the names. I am practically obsessed, lol. I am trying to talk him into Campbell either way, even though it means 'crooked mouth.'Thanks again!
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