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Irish surname

Browne: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Brún · Norman 'le Brun,' i.e. the brown, from the complexion

Woulfe (1923) gives Browne under de Brún, Norman 'le Brun', i.e. the brown, from the complexion; he calls it an old Norman surname, extremely common in England, which came into Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion and is now also very common in Ireland. In 1890, 146 Browne birth entries were registered in Ireland, principally in Cork, Mayo, Wexford and Dublin.

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Coat of arms associated with the Browne surname
Irish formde Brún
MeaningNorman 'le Brun,' i.e. the brown, from the complexion
CountiesCork, Mayo, Wexford, Dublin
Other spellings3
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Browne crest gifts

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Origin of the Browne name

Woulfe: Norman 'le Brun'. 'It came into Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion, and is now also very common in this country.' 16th-century families: Galway (one of the 'tribes'), Neale (Mayo), Malrancan (Wexford), Hariston (Waterford), Aney (Limerick), Kilpatrick (Westmeath), Dunbrowne (Kerry).[1]

  1. 1535George Browne, a friar of the Augustinian order, is consecrated Archbishop of Dublin (19 March), per Webb.[6]
  2. 1589Four Masters: Master Brown, sent by the Governor, Sir Richard Bingham, against the Lower Burkes; his soldiers are routed and he is beheaded.[10]
  3. 1735Peter Browne, Bishop of Cork, dies at Cork on 25 August, per Webb.[7]
  4. 1890146 Browne birth entries in Ireland: Leinster 36, Munster 51, Ulster 30, Connaught 29.[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. CorkMatheson 1890: counties in which principally found Cork, Mayo, Wexford, and Dublin.[4]
Co. MayoWoulfe: the Brownes of the Neale, Co. Mayo; Matheson 1890 principally Mayo.[1][4]
Co. WexfordWoulfe: the Brownes of Malrancan, Co. Wexford; Matheson 1890 principally Wexford.[1][4]
Co. DublinMatheson 1890: principally found in Cork, Mayo, Wexford and Dublin.[4]
Co. GalwayWoulfe: the Brownes were one of the 'tribes' of Galway.[1]
Co. KerryWoulfe: the Brownes of Dunbrowne, Co. Kerry, were one of the most important families of the name in 16th-century Ireland.[1]

Notable people named Browne

George Browneconsecrated 1535Webb: Augustinian friar, consecrated Archbishop of Dublin on 19 March 1535; an ardent advocate of the Reformation.[6]
Peter Browned. 1735Webb: Bishop of Cork, appointed 1710, formerly Provost of Trinity College; died at Cork, 25 August 1735.[7]
Patrick Browne1720–1790Webb: M.D. born at Woodstock, Co. Mayo; published a Civil and Natural History of Jamaica (1756); died at Rushbrook, Mayo.[8]
George, Count de Browne1698–1792Webb: Irish soldier of fortune in the Russian service, Field-Marshal under Peter III; born 15 June 1698.[9]

Other spellings

Brown · de Brune · Broune[1][5]

Scottish connection

Woulfe says Mac an Bhreitheamhan ('son of the brehon', anglicised Judge by translation) 'is also found in Scotland, where it is anglicised Browne'.[3]

The Browne coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Browne surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Browne surname: questions

What does the surname Browne mean?

Woulfe's entry de Brún gives it as Norman 'le Brun', i.e. the brown, from the complexion.[1]

Is Browne an Irish name?

Woulfe calls it an old Norman surname, extremely common in England, which came into Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion and is now also very common in Ireland. Among its 16th-century families he lists those of Galway (one of the 'tribes'), the Neale in Mayo, Malrancan in Wexford, and others.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Browne name found?

Matheson's 1890 birth index gives Cork, Mayo, Wexford and Dublin as the counties in which it was principally found, with 51 of 146 entries in Munster and 36 in Leinster.[4]

Who were the Brownes of Kenmare?

Woulfe says they came to Ireland only in the reign of Elizabeth, but by purchase and intermarriage succeeded to the vast estates of MacCarthy More, O'Sullivan More and O'Donoghue of Ross, and as Earls of Kenmare held an important place in the social and public life of the country.[1]

Are all Brownes descended from the Normans?

Woulfe's main entry is Norman. He also prints 'O Browne' among the anglicised forms of Ó Braoin ('descendant of Braon') and mentions 'O Browne in Kerry' when discussing the Breens; and he says Mac an Bhreitheamhan is anglicised Browne in Scotland.[1][2][3]

Sources

  1. de Brún — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-brun.php
  2. Ó Braoin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ob/o-braoin.php
  3. Mac an Bhreitheamhan — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/maca/mac-an-bhreitheamhan-mac-an-bhreithea...
  4. Browne — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/browne.php
  5. Brown — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/171.php
  6. Browne, George, Archbishop of Dublin — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/GeorgeBrowneArchbishopofDublin.php
  7. Browne, Peter — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/PeterBrowne.php
  8. Browne, Patrick — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/PatrickBrowne.php
  9. Browne, George, Count de — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/CountGeorgedeBrowne.php
  10. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1589 — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005F/text001.html

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).