Beorhtsige

Male
CPL
4 of 5

Discussion of the name

Beorhtsige is a masculine OE name formed from the elements beorht (‘bright, distinguished’) and sige (‘victory’). None of the forty-one examples currently recorded in PASE dates from earlier than the reign of Alfred (871–99), but the name became common in the tenth century (twenty-eight examples) and remained so in the eleventh (ten examples) (Beorhtsige 1–29, 31–42). It rarely appears in the very highest social ranks but is found among charter-witnessing thegns, other landowners, moneyers, and clerics, and was also used by lower social groups, as a scabbard-maker (Beorhtsige 24) and the husband of a slave (Beorhtsige 12).

The name was rare in Mercia and Northumbria, even allowing for the differential survival of evidence. Only two Beorhtsiges (both monks) were commemorated in the original ninth-century Northumbrian Liber Vitae (LVD: II, 92). Elsewhere, it was common in East Anglia, the south-east, and across Wessex. The Beorhtsiges identified in DB continue that geographical pattern.

Bibliography

DLV: The Durham Liber Vitae. London, British Library, MS Cotton Domitian A.VII: Edition and Digital Facsimile with Introduction, Codicological, Prosopographical and Linguistic Commentary, and Indexes, ed. D. W. Rollason and L. Rollason, 3 vols. (London: British Library, 2007)

Forms of the name

Spellings in Domesday Book: Brixi(us); Bercsi, Bresi, Bricsi(us), Bricsic, Brixe

Spellings in Exon: Bricsitius, Brisius

Forms in modern scholarship:

  von Feilitzen head forms: Beorhtsige; Bresibalt

  Phillimore edition: Brictsi; Bresibalt

  Alecto edition: Beorhtsige; Bresibalt

Distribution map of property and lordships associated with this name in DB

List of property and lordships associated with this name in DB

Holder 1066

Shire Phil. ref. Vill DB Spelling Holder 1066 Lord 1066 Tenant-in-Chief 1086 1086 Subtenant Fiscal Value 1066 Value 1086 Value Conf. Show on Map
Cornwall 5,7,10 Dizzard Brixi Beorhtsige 'of Tresparrett' - Robert, count of Mortain Jovin 0.25 0.50 0.25 A Map
Cornwall 5,7,7 Tresparrett Brixi Beorhtsige 'of Tresparrett' - Robert, count of Mortain Jovin 0.50 0.60 0.60 A Map
Cornwall 5,7,8 Treblary Brixi Beorhtsige 'of Tresparrett' - Robert, count of Mortain Jovin 0.25 0.25 0.50 A Map
Devon 3,48 Trentishoe Brixi Beorhtsige 'of Trentishoe' - Geoffrey, bishop of Coutances Drew fitzMauger 0.50 0.50 0.50 A Map
Dorset 49,12 Wootton Fitzpaine Bricsi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Aiulf the sheriff - 12.00 10.00 20.00 D Map
Essex 24,65 Foulton Bricsius Beorhtsige 'of Boynton' - Swein of Essex Odard 'of Foulton' 0.92 0.50 1.00 B Map
Gloucestershire 32,4 Westonbirt Bricsi Beorhtsige Cild - William fitzBaderon - 3.00 6.00 3.00 D Map
Hampshire 6,16 Micheldever - Beorhtsige Cild Ælfwig, abbot of Winchester New Minster Riwallon, abbot of Winchester New Minster Alsige son of Beorhtsige 6.00 3.40 1.50 D Map
Hampshire NF9,20 Childenhurst Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king William, king Ælfric the small 5.00 8.00 0.00 D Map
Herefordshire 1,73 Brocote Bercsi Beorhtsige 'of Brocote' - William, king - 0.83 0.00 0.00 B Map
Kent 5,21 Plumstead Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Odo, bishop of Bayeux Scotland, abbot of St Augustine's Canterbury 4.50 10.00 12.00 A Map
Kent 5,26 Seal Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Odo, bishop of Bayeux William, king 0.00 0.00 1.10 A Map
Kent 5,26 Seal Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Odo, bishop of Bayeux Richard fitzGilbert 0.00 0.00 4.00 A Map
Kent 5,26 Seal Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Odo, bishop of Bayeux Geoffrey de Rots 14.00 30.00 26.00 A Map
Kent 5,29 Greenwich Brixi Beorhtsige Cild - Odo, bishop of Bayeux Gilbert, bishop of Lisieux 2.00 4.00 6.00 A Map
Kent 5,8 Lullingstone Brixe Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Odo, bishop of Bayeux Geoffrey de Rots 2.00 5.00 5.00 A Map
Kent 9,3 Sevington Bresi Beorhtsige Beald Edward, king Hugh de Montfort Mainou 'of Ashford' 1.00 1.50 1.50 A Map
Kent D25 Sutton and Aylesford lathes Brixi Beorhtsige Cild - - - 0.00 0.00 0.00 A Map
Nottinghamshire 9,53 Torworth Brixi Beorhtsige 'of Torworth' - Roger de Bully Azo the priest 0.38 0.50 0.08 A Map
Somerset 24,27 Burnham on Sea Brixi Beorhtsige Cild - Walter de Douai - 2.00 3.00 4.00 D Map
Somerset 24,27 Burnham on Sea - Beorhtsige Cild - Walter de Douai Rademer 2.00 3.00 4.00 D Map
Somerset 27,1 Stogursey Brixi Beorhtsige Cild - William de Falaise - 4.50 25.00 20.00 D Map
Somerset 46,16 Lilstock Bricsic Beorhtsige Cild - Ansger the cook - 5.00 5.00 5.00 D Map
Suffolk 71,1 Boynton Brixius Beorhtsige 'of Boynton' - Robert of Stratford - 1.00 1.00 1.00 B Map
Surrey 19,32 Stoke D'Abernon Bricsi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Richard fitzGilbert - 15.00 4.00 4.00 A Map
Surrey 22,1 Compton Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Walter fitzOther - 14.00 8.00 9.00 B Map
Surrey 22,5 West Horsley Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Walter fitzOther - 9.00 7.00 5.00 B Map
Surrey 22,5 West Horsley Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Walter fitzOther 1 Englishman 1.00 1.00 1.00 B Map
Surrey 5,10 Hatcham Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Odo, bishop of Bayeux Gilbert, bishop of Lisieux 3.00 2.00 2.00 A Map
Sussex 10,11 Itford Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Robert, count of Mortain William de Cahagnes 4.00 4.00 2.00 C Map
Sussex 11,67 North Stoke Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king Roger, earl Reynold de Bailleul 8.00 20.00 20.00 C Map
Sussex 13,49 Thakeham Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king William de Briouze Morin 'of Sussex' 1.00 0.67 0.48 C Map
Sussex 13,49 Thakeham Brixi Beorhtsige Cild Edward, king William de Briouze Morin 'of Sussex' 19.75 13.33 9.52 C Map
Wiltshire 25,1 Keevil Brixi Beorhtsige Cild - Ernulf de Hesdin - 16.00 20.00 26.00 D Map
Totals

Lord 1066

Shire Phil. ref. Vill DB Spelling Holder 1066 Lord 1066 Tenant-in-Chief 1086 1086 Subtenant Fiscal Value 1066 Value 1086 Value Conf. Show on Map
Kent 5,18 Horton Kirby Brixi Godhild 'of Horton Kirby' Beorhtsige Odo, bishop of Bayeux Ansketil de Rots 2.00 4.00 6.00 A Map
Totals

Sub-subtenant in 1086

Shire Phil. ref. Vill DB Spelling Holder 1066 Lord 1066 Tenant-in-Chief 1086 1086 Subtenant Fiscal Value 1066 Value 1086 Value Conf. Show on Map
Cornwall 1,1 Trembraze Brixi 1 thegn Harold, earl William, king Robert, count of Mortain 0.08 0.50 0.00 A Map
Totals