Bridges Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Bridges Family History

Bridges Family History

The ancient origin of the name Bridges was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Meaning 'at the bridge', Bridges is a locational name from a bridge nearby. Variants of the name include Briggs, Brigg, Bridge, Bridger, Bridgeman and Brigman. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Hugh ate Brugge, Oxford, and a Roger ate Brugge, Oxford, who were recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. An Elena de Bryg held land 'in vico de la Grene', Aberdeen, Scotland, in the year 1382. A family of gentry have held lands at Keighley, Yorkshire for over 500 years.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

The Bridges family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Bridges descendants.