From the occupation of 'brewster' or 'brewer.' The feminine suffix -ster, as with Baxter, shows that originally it was a woman's occupation. Sir John Skene, in his De verborum significatione, defines 'Browsters' as 'wemen quha brewes aill to be sauld'. In mediaeval Latin documents the word is rendered braciator (a word of Gaulish origin as noted by Pliny, Hist. Nat., XVIII, 11, whence French brasseur, brewer). Nicholaus, braciator regis (i.e. the king's brewer), was present at the perambulation of lands in 1219 (APS., I, p. 91). Johannes the 'braciator' was one of the 'native men' of the Abbey of Dunfermline in the thirteenth century (RD., 330), and Thomas le Breuester of the forest of Passeley in the county of Lanark rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 213). Johannes dictus Brouster held land in Aberdeen in 1382 (RMS., I, 682), Robert Brewester, a Scot, received letters of denisation in England in 1480 (Bain, IV, 1465), another Robert Broustar was burgess of Glasgow in 1487 (REG., 449), William Broster held land in Arnbroath in 1513 (RAA., 11,541), Thomas Brouster was curate to Sir John Swinton of that Ilk in 1515, and Duncanus Broustir appears in Murthlac, 1550 (Illus., II, p. 261). In some instances, particularly in the north, this name is a translation of Macgbuer, which see. Gillecrist Brouster was one of the sufferers from the hersliip of Petty in 1502 (Rose, p. 176). Broistar 1541, Brostar 1460, Broustar 1528, Broustare 1556, Browistar 1550, Browster 1798, Browstare 1468.

(English) (orig. Female) Brewer [Middle English breuster(e, brewester(e—O.E. breówan, to brew; Old English fem. agential suff. -estre] Emma la Breustere.—Hundred Rolls And Beton the brewestere Bad hym good morwe.

Piers Plowman, 3087-8.

(English) One who brewed beer or ale.

1. Bruyere, French, a heath. This was a frequent name in Norman times. The principal English family were settled in Devonshire at the time of the Domesd. survey, and founded Tor Abbey. In after times they impressed their name upon Teign Brewer and Buckland Brewer in that county, as also upon Temple Brewer, co. Lincoln. Among those of the name in France, Thibaut de la Bruyere, the crusader, stands conspicuous. The orthography is much varied, the principal forms in the H.R. being Brewer, Brewere, de Bruario, de la Bruere, Brywer, de Brueris. 2. The occupation. In the H.R. it occurs in the Latin and Norman-French forms of Braciator and Le Bracer. The business of brewing was formerly carried on by women, and hence the Anglo-Saxon feminine termination stre, in Brewster, in the H.R. we find the name of one Clarissa la Braceresse. In the XV. cent. the name as well as the occupation was often written Berebrewer.

A brewer. See termination STER, and English Surn. in voc.

A brewer of malt liquor.

The Scot. and from the Old Norse, Engl. form of Brewer.

Brazier: It was not till the close of the fifteenth century that the hop was introduced into England by the Flemings.

“Hops, Reformation, baize and beer, Came to England all in one year.”

Previously ale had been brewed with other ingredients, as wormwood. Mead, or metheglin, was largely drunk. Hence Browse - i.e., at the brewhouse. Chamier is from the medieval Latin cambarius, a brewer.