Gratten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Gratten surname was Mag Reachtain in Irish Gaelic.

Early Origins of the Gratten family

The surname Gratten was first found in Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Gratten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gratten research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1500 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Gratten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gratten Spelling Variations

Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Gratten are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include Gratton, Grattan, MacGrattan and others.

Early Notables of the Gratten family

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

Migration of the Gratten family

A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name Gratten or a variant listed above: John Gratton, who settled in New York in 1820 and Edward Gratton landed in Philadelphia in 1862; Mary Gratton settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1848.

Contemporary Notables of the name Gratten (post 1700) +

Leo Gratten Carroll (1886-1972), English actor, best known for his role as Alexander Waverly in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and in several Hitchcock films

The Gratten 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: Pro patria vivere et mori
Motto Translation: For my country, I live and die