This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. Welsh Ap-Rice or Ap-Rees=son of Rice (q.v).

'Item, geven to Harry ap-Rice', 1544: Privy Purse Exp., Princess Mary.

Philip ap Rys. Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium in Turri Londinensi.

Lodovicus Apprise. Valor Ecclesiasticus.

John Apryce, Valor Ecclesiasticus.

Lewis ap-Rhys, prebendary of St. David's, 1502: History and Ant. St. David's.

1563. Arnold Appryce and Elizabeth Andrewes: Marriage Lic. (London).

1579. Thomas Aprees and Margaret Barker: ibid.

From Bricius, a Gaulish saint of the fifth century, nephew of S. Martin of Tours, whom he succeeded in the bishopric there. A common personal name in Scots records at end of twelfth and beginning of thirteenth centuries. Bricius, judex, c. 1189—99, witnessed a charter by Laurence, son of Orm de Abernethy (RAA., I. 35), another by Gilbert, earl of Strathern, a 1198 (LIM., p. jcxiv), and between 1204—11 he witnessed a third by William the Lion (RAA,, I, 74 ter.). Bricius, prior of Brechin is mentioned c. 1178—98 (REB., II, 270; RAA., I, 75), and another Bricius was chaplain to Matthew, bishop of Aberdeen c. 1180 (REA., I, 11). Bricius, prior of Lesmahago, became bishop of Moray, 1203 (Dowden, p. 147). Bricius, persona de Cref c. 1200—20 appears several times as charter witness (Scon, 125; Laing, 5; Inchaffray, p. 3, 14, 22; LIM., 8, 12, etc.). He is probably the Bricius who as chaplain to Gillecrist, earl of Angus, is witness to several local charters between 1201—07 (RAA., I). Bricius de Dunyn witnessed a charter of confirmation of Fedel c. 1220—44 (LAC., 25), and c. 1260 another Bricius doubtess Brice, abbot of St. Columb, rendered homage, 1296. His seal bears 'In a vessel with one mast and pennon, sails furled, two figures seated, the dexter one mitred, each holding a pastoral staff erect,' S' abbatis de Insula Sancti Columbi (Bain, 11 p. 197,542). Brice, abbot of Deer, also rendered homage in the same year. His seal bears the figure of an ecclesiastic standing, pastoral staff in right hand, left on breast, a maniple over his arm, Sigillum abbatis de Deer (ibid., p. 197,542). Richard Brice, burgess and alderman of Stirling, also rendered homage, 1296 (ibid., p. 186,197). Brice, chaplain to Duncan, earl of Fife, c. 1331—1335, is probably Bricius, dean of Fife and Fothriff, in record in 1350 (Cambus., 56). Bricius bane attested a charter of lands of Ochterardour, c. 1370 (Inchaffray, p. 131). John Bris, elder and younger, followers of the earl of Cassilis, were respited for murder, 1526 (RSS., I, 3386). There was an old Lennox family of Bryce, and John Bryse of Drumquhassell assisted the Macfarlanes in their feud with the Buchanans in 1619. Adam and John Bryce in Braco were resetters of oudawed members of Clan Gregor, 1613 (RPC., XIV, p. 639). As forename we have Brice Strayton in 1480 (Bain, IV, 1465), and Bris Duncansoun was member of council of Stirling, 1546 (SBR., p. 277).

V. Bryce.

(Welsh) The son of Rhys (ardor, a rush).

A personal name. The feast of St. Brice, bishop and confessor, is on the 13th of November. There are three places in Normandy denominated from him.

Welsh, Ap Rhys, the son of Rhys. As in the case of most other Welsh families, the settled surname is of recent adoption, even amongst the gentry, and it is hard to distinguish, by the mere name, men of family from the ignobile vulgus. The Prices of Castle-Madoc., co. Brecknock, spring from Bleddyn ap Maenyrch, Lord of Brecon, temp. William Rufus; and the Brices of Glangwilly, co. Carmarthen, are descended, on the female side, through the Lloyds, from Rhodri Mawr. King of Wales. B.L.G.

Descended from Rev. Edward Bruce, a younger son of the Laird of Airth, who settling in Ireland early in the seventeenth century, changed his name to Bryce, since altered to Brice.

The Welsh name is said to be from Ap-Rice or -Rees, son of Rice or Rees; but both names may be from Cornish prâs, a meadow. Pryce, Pryse, Brice, and the U. S. Praise would seem to be the same name. See also Rees.

(Welsh.) A contraction of Ap Rice, the son of Rice, which is the same as Rhys or Rhees (see Rhees). Brys, Welsh, haste, quick, lively.

(Welsh.) A contraction of Ap Rhys, the son of Rhys or Rhees. (See Rhees.)

(Welsh.) A corruption of Ap Rice, the son of Rice.

A Welsh name, said to be from Ap-Rhys, son of Rhys. Pryce however renders the Cornish name Penrice, the head of the fleeting ground, and Rhys and Rice would seem to be the same name.

From St. Brice, near Avranches, Normandy. Robert de St. Brice and the fief of St. Brice are mentioned in Normandy 1180 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). William de St. Bricio took the oaths of allegiance in Normandy to Philip Augustus.

From the Flemish, Brys; a personal name (?).

Price, etc. —This name has its great home in Herefordshire, and afterwards in South Wales, Monmouthshire, and Shropshire. Rees, Reece, and Ap - Rees in the form of Preece (hence also Price) have much the same distribution. The possessors of these names have advanced but little into England beyond the Marches, Wilts representing, in the number of its Prices, the limit of their substantial progress towards the metropolis.

The prevailing practice in connection with the orthography of Welsh names is well illustrated in the case of Price. Philip Ap Rice was bailiff of Leominster, Herefordshire, in 1562; Thomas Price was bailiff of the same town in 1699 and 1717 (Townsend's "Leominster"). According to Jones, the old Brecknockshire family of Price of Glynllech only adopted that name three centuries ago.