Show ContentsGrand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Grand surname comes from the Old French word "grand," which in turn comes from the Latin "grandis," meaning "large" or "tall." As such, Grand is though to have was originally been a nickname for a large or tall person, which later became a surname. There is also a village of Lagrand in the Department of Hautes Alpes that dates from early times; some instances of this surname may have come from the name of this village.

Early Origins of the Grand family

The surname Grand was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France where this eminent family held a family seat from very early times.

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Robert, Richard, Serlo, Roger and Nicholas Grand as living in Normandy 1180-95. 1 Similarly in ancient Britain, Grand was a personal name in the Domesday Book. 2

Early History of the Grand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grand research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1521, 1545, 1555, 1560, 1572, 1582, 1598, 1626, 1629, 1655, 1669, 1699, 1789 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Grand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grand Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Grand, Grands, Grande, Grandes, Gron, Gronde, Grons, Grondes, Legrand, Legrands, Legrande, Legrandes, Legron, Legronde, Legrons and many more.

Early Notables of the Grand family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • Guillaume Legrand, Chief Registrar at the bailliage of Châtillon

Grand Ranking

In the United States, the name Grand is the 13,773rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Grand is ranked the 418th most popular surname with an estimated 10,207 people with that name. 4


United States Grand migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Grand Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Grand, who settled in Virginia in 1639
  • John Grand, who settled in Virginia in 1650
  • Alexander Grand, who landed in America in 1652 5
  • Joost Grand, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1662 5
  • Joost Grand, who settled in the New Netherlands in 1662
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Grand Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Anna Eliz Grand, aged 18, who landed in New York in 1710 5
  • Augustine Le Grand, who landed in Louisiana in 1718 5
  • Pierre Guerard De Grand, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719 5
  • John Rodoiph Grand, who landed in South Carolina in 1744 5
Grand Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Anto Grand, aged 20, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1831 5
  • Geo Grand, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1837 5
  • J. M. Grand, who settled in San Francisco in 1852
  • Peter Grand, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1868

New Zealand Grand 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:

Grand Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Mary Ann Grand, (b. 1843), aged 21, British domestic servant travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 6
  • Mr. John Grand, (b. 1854), aged 10, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 6
  • Mrs. Mary Ann Grand (Grandi), (b. 1823), aged 41, British nurse travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 6
  • Mr. Grand, English settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dagmar" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 21st May 1869 6

West Indies Grand migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 7
Grand Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Richard Grand, who settled in St. Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1654

Contemporary Notables of the name Grand (post 1700) +

  • Mark Grand (b. 1955), American software architect
  • Robert Grand, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Indiana, 2012 8
  • Jennie A. Grand, American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York Democratic State Committee, 1948 8
  • David Grand, American politician, Candidate for New York State Senate, 1946, 1948, 1952; Candidate for New York State Assembly from Bronx County 11th District, 1954 8
  • Jean-Pierre Grand (b. 1950), French politician
  • Major-General Laurence Douglas Grand (1898-1978), British Director of Fortifications & Works, War Office (1949-1952) 9
  • Keith Walter Chamberlain Grand, Chairman, Penarth Engineering Co. Ltd
  • Steve Grand (b. 1958), English computer scientist
  • Simon Grand (b. 1984), English footballer
  • Sarah Grand (1854-1943), British feminist writer
  • ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Grand Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In variis nunquam varius
Motto Translation: Never varied in various


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 17) Laurence Grand. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Grand/Laurence_Douglas/Great_Britain.html


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