Grinter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Grinter family

The surname Grinter was first found in Warwickshire at Grendon, a parish, in the union of Atherstone, Tamworth division of the hundred of Hemlingford. 1 The place name literally means "green hill" having derived from the Old English word "grene" + "dun." 2 The are other places that include the name "Grendon" usually as a prefix. Some date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 as in Grendone (Northamptonshire and Warwickshire) and Grennedone in Buckinghamshire. 3

"This soldier of the Conquest received as his share of the spoil a fair lordship in Warwickshire, and thence assuming a surname, founded a knightly family, which obtained Baronial rank in the reign of Edward I., when Sir Ralph de Grendon had summons to Parliament, A.D. 1299. His only son, Robert, second lord, being of weak intellect, much litigation arose regarding the lordship of Grendon, with Sir Roger and Sir Philip Chetwynds (who were allied to the family by marriage), and endured for a considerable time. At length an agreement was entered into, under which the estate passed to the Chetwynds, by whose descendant, Sir George Chetwynd, Bart., it is now held." 4

Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Grendon, held Thurstan from Henry de Ferrers, a Norman Baron, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. The village held a Mill at that time. Notable is Grendon Hall.

Grinton is a small village and civil parish in the Yorkshire Dales, in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. "The church is a very ancient and spacious structure in the early English style, and in excellent repair; the chancel is divided from two side chapels by a carved oak screen of very early date, and the windows present the remains of some choice specimens of stained glass. " 1

Robert de Grendune was a Knights Templar in Lincolnshire in 1185 and later, Randulf de Grendon was listed in Northumberland in 1242. Over one hundred years later, Robert de Grendon was found in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire in 1345-1346. 5

Early History of the Grinter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grinter research. Another 160 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1291, 1299, 1510, 1600 and 1982 are included under the topic Early Grinter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grinter Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Grendon, Grendown, Grentown, Grendone, Grenton, Greynton, Grendown, Grindon, Grinton, Grinden and many more.

Early Notables of the Grinter family

More information is included under the topic Early Grinter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grinter migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Grinter Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Joseph Grinter, aged 43, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Mallard" 6
Henry Grinter, aged 17, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Mallard" 6
Maria Grinter, aged 18, a seamstress, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Mallard" 6

Grinter migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Grinter Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Grinter, (b. 1841), aged 19, English school master from Dorset travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "William Miles" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st August 1860 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Grinter (post 1700) +

Brad F. Grinter (1922-1993), American film director, actor, producer, and screenwriter
Trayton Golding Grinter (1885-1966), English first class cricketer who played for Essex County Cricket Club between 1909 and 1921
Rebecca Elizabeth "Beki" Grinter, English-born, Professor in the School of Interactive Computing in the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Barry W. Grinter (b. 1951), former Australian rules footballer
Rodney "Balls" Grinter (b. 1965), former Australian rules footballer

Historic Events for the Grinter family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Norman Francis Grinter (1918-1941), Australian Acting Leading Stoker from Footscray, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 8

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
South Australian Register Thursday 26th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Mallard 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/mallard1855.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp