Brou

Recorded as Brou and Brouard, this is quite a popular French surname, and one which is also well recorded in Belgian and the British Channel Islands from at least the time of King Charles 11nd of England (1660 - 1685). It is medieval in origin, and a nickname, derived from the word 'breu' meaning gruel or thin soup. Hence it probably referred to a person regarded by his peer group as something of a miser, one who ate gruel when he could do much better. Another possibility is that of a hermit or holy man, somebody who fasted as a way of life. It is unlikely to mean a poor person, as most people were poor, and all at various times would have had no choice, but to live on gruel. In the famous or infamous Revolution of 1792, the church registers which like the British dated back to the 16th century or even earlier, were ruthlessly sought out by the Revolutionaries and destroyed as being tools of the hated Secret Service. As a result that are few accurate recordings before the Napoleonic Period. However in the Channel Islands we have that of Henry Brouard who married Marguerite Gallienne at St Peter Port, Guernsey, on July 21st 1665, whilst in France itself Renee Brouard married Rene Houdouin at St Symphdrien Andard, Maine et Loire, on January 30th 1659.