This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Brocas.' The two representatives in the London Directory, one a botanist, the other a fishing-tackle maker, may probably congratulate themselves in being the descendants of some junior branch of the Hereditary Masters of the Royal Buckhounds. They hailed from the district of Sault and St. Sever. For a full account, v. 'The Family of Brocas of Beaurepaire, and Roche Court': by Professor Montagu Burrows (Longmans, 1886). I quote two entries from the book simply to prove the local origin.

Amald de Brokays, 1315.

John de Brocas, 1340.

1578. Pexall Broccas, Buckinghamshire: Register of the University of Oxford.

1661. Sir William Gardiner and Jane Brocas: Marriage Lic. (Faculty Office).

Families of the name De Brocas are found in Guinne and Gascony in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Two places, one probably the oldest in the arrondissement of Mont de Marsan and canton de Labrit (D'AIbret) and the other in the arrondissement of St. Sever. John Brocaz had payment in 1338 for "the safe custody of the marches of Scotland" (Burrows, Family of Brocas of Beaurepatre, London, 1886, p. 62). Thomas Brokas had a remission for his share in burning the town of Dunbertane in 1489 (Lennox, II, p. 133; APS XII, £ 34). Patrick Brocas, chaplain, is in record in 1493 (Cumbus., 186), James Brokkas was a witness in Linlithgow in 1532 (Johnsoun), and John Brocass was witness in Glasgow in 1536 (LCD., p. 129), William Brokkus, smith, was true to his obedience to the queen in 1562 (RPC,, I, p. 216). John Brokkas was a citizen of Brechin in 1588, Patrick Brokass was officer there in 1602, and another Patrick Brokus or Brockhouse appears as doctor of the Grammar School of Brechin in 1649 and 1660 (REB., II, 227,232, 247,249). James Brockhouse was town officer of Brechin in 1660 (ibid., II, 249), George Brockhous was wool-finer in Edinburgh in 1619 (Edinb. Marr.), and William Brockhouse in Tamcure, parish of Falkirk, is recorded in 1633 (Stirling).

This name is now very rare in Ireland. It occurs in the Patent Rolls relating to Co. Dublin in 1395, but there is no evidence that the family became established here at that early date. In 1625 a Thomas Brocas obtained a lease of silver and gold mines in Co. Kerry: the interesting conditions attached to this lease are outlined in the Calendar of State Papers, Ireland, of that date. The name is of special interest to this country on account of the four distinguished artists Henry Brocas (1762-1837)and his three sons, Henry (c. 1798-1873), Samuel (1792-1847) and William (c. 1794-1868), all of Dublin, Before them there was Gabriel Brocas, also of Dublin, whose will was proved in 1747. The elder Henry was great-grandson of Robert Brocas of Derbyshire who came to Ireland as a comet of horse in Cromwell's army. It is a name of antiquity in England where, according to Reaney, it (with its variants Brokus and Brochis) is synonymous with Brookhouse. It also appears among the names of Huguenot refugees from France. There are pedigrees of Brocas and Brokas in the Genealogical Office, Dublin Castle.

The well known artists of this name were all of Dublin, where the family settled in the seventeenth century. It is apparently a variant of the English Brookhouse.

Bibl; SIF 24