Bruton — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: not applicable; English toponymic origin
Meaning: from an English place name meaning 'farmstead by a stream'
Traditional stronghold: Meath, Cork
Pronunciation: BROO-ton
History of the Bruton name
Bruton is an English toponymic surname, taken from a place name in Somerset, brought to Ireland by settlers in the early modern period and established in Meath and elsewhere. It remained a relatively uncommon name in Ireland but achieved lasting national prominence in the late 20th century through a Meath political family who produced a Taoiseach and a long-serving cabinet minister, bringing the surname firmly into modern Irish political history.
Variants: Broughton · Bruton (unaltered)
Famous bearers of the name
- John Bruton — Meath-born Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael
- Richard Bruton — Fine Gael minister and TD, brother of John Bruton
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Murphy · Kelly · O'Sullivan · McCarthy · Daly · Collins · Flynn · Healy