Founder of the family was Pietro Brivio (in Latin: Petrus Brivius or Petrus de Brippio), who moved at the end of the 15th Century from Milan to Montevecchia, where he had bought many properties.
In 1713 Giacomo became Lord of Montevecchia, the village of his ancestors, and in 1716 famous composer Antonio Vivaldi dedicated him a dramma per musica, Arsilda, regina di Ponto.