Great History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Great family

The surname Great was first found in Northumberland, where Phiolippus filius Grete was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls in 1201. Years later, Greta was found in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219 and later in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1260.

Great is as an Old English byname and was listed in Saxon times as AEdelwold des Greta c. 900. The same source listed AEdelmaeres Greatan in 1017.

Great is thought to have been derived from the Old English word "great", or less commonly from Greta(f), probably short for Margaret. 1

Greet is a chapelry, in the parish and union of Winchcomb, Lower division of the hundred of Kiftsgate, in Gloucestershire and a parish, in the union of Tenbury, hundred of Overs in Shropshire. 2

Henry and Gilbert le Grete were listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for Berkshire in 1279 as well as the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1287. 1

Early History of the Great family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Great research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1666, 1667 and 1675 are included under the topic Early Great History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Great Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Greet, Grete, Greetan, Greeton, Greep, Greeter and others.

Early Notables of the Great family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Greeting (fl. 1675), English musician who published in 1675 'The Pleasant Companion, or new Lessons and Instructions for the Flagelet.' Pepys engaged him to teach his...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Great Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Great family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.