De Brún

Rev Patrick Woulfe

Irish Names and Surnames

1923

de BRÚN—XII—de Brune, Brown, Browne; Norman 'le Brun,' i.e., the brown, from the complexion; an old Norman surname, extremely common in England. It came into Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion, and is now also very common in this country. The most important families of the name in Ireland in the 16th century were those (1) of Galway, of which the Brownes were one of the 'tribes'; (2) of the Neale, Co. Mayo; (3) of Malrancan, Co. Wexford; (4) of Hariston, Co. Waterford; (5) of Aney, Co. Limerick; (6) of Kilpatrick, Co. Westmeath; and (7) of Dunbrowne, Co. Kerry. The Brownes of Kenmare 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 have held an important place in the social and public life of the country.

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