The Scottish surname Bruce is of Norman origin. The name Bruce is a habitational name from a place in Normandy which has not been certainly identified. Traditionally, it is believed to be derived from Brix near Cherbourg, but Le Brus in Calvados and Briouze in Orne have also been proposed as candidates. The most famous bearer of the name Bruce was Robert the Bruce the 13th Century King of Scotland. The name is first recorded in the New World in 1683 as Richard Bruce arrived in Virginia. Today there are approximately 52,000 bearers of the surname Bruce living in the United States.