Gravem is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Gravem family lived in Kent, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages.
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Early Origins of the Gravem family
The surname Gravem was first found in Kent where they held a family seat. At the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 by Duke William of Normandy the village of Graveney was held by under-tenant Richard the Constable from chief-tenant, the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was customary that when the Normans introduced surnames into England the Baron or head of the family gave lands to his sons or other relatives. To distinguished these branches the offspring assumed the name of their holdings, and conjecturally, the surname was derived from Richard of Graveney in Kent, which at Domesday held manor and four salt houses on the edge of marshland.
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Early History of the Gravem family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gravem research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1207, 1230, 1376, 1524 and 1546 are included under the topic Early Gravem History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Gravem Spelling Variations
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Graveney, Graveny, Gravenel, Graveneye, Gravener, Gravenor and many more.
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Early Notables of the Gravem family
More information is included under the topic Early Gravem Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Gravem family
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Gravem or a variant listed above: John Gravener who was recorded as having arrived in Maryland in 1634; and other settlers who established themselves in the United States and in Canada during the 18th and 19th centuries..
England
