William Bruce of Sumburgh

WILLIAM BRUCE OF SYMBISTER

The ancestry of William Bruce of Symbister, here treated, has not been satisfactorily identified.The County Families of the Shetland Isles: Bruce of Sumburgh

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

5 August 1604: Dunrossness: Extract contract between Patrick, earl of Orknay, Lord of Zetland, on one part, and William Bruce of Symbuster, with consent of Margaret Stewart, his spouse, and of Robert Bruce, his eldest son, on other part, whereby the latter resign to said earl, lands of Soundburgh and Statnes in parish of Dunrosnes, mainland and lordship of Zetland, and lands of Underhoull in Isle of Ounst, and said Earl binds himself to deliver to said Williame Bruce a charter of lands of Sandweik in parish of Dunrosnes and lordship of Zetland. Registered Books of Council and Session, 14 May 1605. National Records of Scotland, Papers relating to Orkney and Shetland, reference RH9/15/79

Genealogy

The County Families of the Shetland Isles: Bruce of Sumburgh

Research Notes

According to the Shetland Islands genealogy site: William BRUCE 1565 - 1630 Birth Bef 1565 Gender Male Died Abt 1630 Person ID I9262 Shetland Last Modified 09 Dec 2008

Father Laurence BRUCE, b. Abt 1534, Cultmalindie, PER, SCT , d. Aug 1617 Mother Helen KENNEDY, b. Bef 1545, d. Bef 1568 Married 1559 Family ID F3913 Group Sheet

Family 1 Isabella SPENCE, b. UNKNOWN, d. UNKNOWN Children

	1. Andrew BRUCE,   b. Aft 1607,   d. UNKNOWN Family ID 	F3912 	Group Sheet

Family 2 Marjory STEWART, b. UNKNOWN, d. 25 Nov 1607 Married UNKNOWN Children

1. Robert BRUCE, b. Bef 1590, Sumburgh, Dunrossness, SHI, SCT , d. Mar 1636, Sumburgh, Dunrossness, SHI, SCT

	2. John BRUCE,   b. Abt 1593,   d. UNKNOWN

	3. Susan BRUCE,   b. Abt 1595,   d. UNKNOWN

	4. Margaret BRUCE,   b. Abt 1597,   d. UNKNOWN

	5. Rebecca BRUCE,   b. Abt 1599,   d. UNKNOWN Family ID 	F3911 	Group Sheet

Note: The lineage of William is unsure. He may have been a son of Robert, second son of John Bruce of Cultmalindie, and nephew of Laurence Bruce of Cultmalindie, and accompanied his uncle to Shetland in the capacity of Secretary or Clerk. On 28th March 1592, he had a Feu Charter from Patrick, Earl of Orkney, of the 20 merks of land, 6 pennies the merk, of Soundburgh, called the King's lands and 4 merks of land called the Provost's lands, lying runrig with the said 20 merks, and the 20 merks of land of Scatness. These Provost's lands which originally belonged to the Dom Kirke or Cathedral of Bergen, he excambed on 5 th August 1604, with the Earl for the lands of Sandwick, but on 15th November 1605, this was departed from, and he received a new Charter from the Earl which was confirmed by the Crown on 20th November 1605.

Buried at Crail, Fife, Scotland.

Regards,

Norman Sutherland