Bryant Family History

English (of Norman origin): from the Celtic personal name Brian (from brigo- ‘high’ + the suffix -ant-) with excrescent -t. Breton bearers of this name were among the Normans who invaded England in 1066.

They went on to settle in Ireland in the 12th century where the name mingled with the native Irish form Briain (see O'Brien). The latter had also been borrowed as Brján by the Vikings who introduced it independently into northwestern England before the Norman Conquest.

This surname is also common among African Americans. Breton: very rare variant of Briant (see Briand) and in North America (also) an altered form of this.