Show ContentsGrattan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Grattan surname in England is a habitational name, which comes from one of several places so named in Britain. The word "gratton" is derived from the Old English "great" and "tun," which meant "enclosure" or "settlement." 1

Early Origins of the Grattan family

The surname Grattan was first found in Derbyshire where a Robert, William de Gratton was on record in the Subsidy Rolls for that County in 1327. John de Grattone was later listed in Assize Rolls for Derbyshire in 1348. 2

Early History of the Grattan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grattan research. Another 24 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1348, 1641, 1712 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Grattan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grattan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gratton, Grattan, Gratten and others.

Early Notables of the Grattan family

Distinguished members of the family include John Gratton (1641-1712), English Quaker, probably born not far from Chesterfield in Derbyshire in 1641. "His father appears to have been a prosperous yeoman or farmer. As a...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grattan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Grattan family to Ireland

Some of the Grattan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Grattan migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Grattan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Grattan, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 3
  • Edward Grattan, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1862

Australia Grattan migration to Australia +

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

Grattan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Grattan, English convict from Chester, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4
  • John Grattan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Spartan" in 1849 5

New Zealand Grattan 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:

Grattan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Grattan, aged 33, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Westminster" in 1843
  • Rebecca Grattan, aged 28, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Westminster" in 1843
  • Mary Grattan, aged 11, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Westminster" in 1843
  • Eliza Grattan, aged 8, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Westminster" in 1843
  • John Grattan, aged 7, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Westminster" in 1843

Contemporary Notables of the name Grattan (post 1700) +

  • Clinton Hartley Grattan (1902-1980), American economic analyst, historian, critic, and professor emeritus, from Wakefield, Massachusetts, one of the leading American authorities on 20th-century Australian history
  • William J. Grattan (b. 1876), American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County 4th District, 1903-06; Member of New York State Senate 28th District, 1907-10 6
  • Michelle Grattan AO FASSA (b. 1936), Australian journalist, the first woman to become editor of an Australian metropolitan daily newspaper, current chief political correspondent with The Conversation, Australia's largest independent news website.
  • John Grattan (1800-1871), Irish naturalist and anthropologist from Belfast
  • Jenna Grattan (b. 1987), Canadian former professional wrestler from Brockville, Ontario, better known by her ring name Portia Perez
  • Harry Grattan (1867-1951), British stage actor, singer, dancer and writer, best known for his performances in musical comedies around 1900.
  • Henry Grattan (1746-1820), Irish statesman and lawyer, baptised at St. John's Church, Fishamble Street, Dublin, on 3 July 1746, son of James Grattan, Recorder of the city of Dublin (1761-1766) 7
  • Henry Grattan Jr. (1789-1859), Irish politician, Member of Parliament for Dublin City on behalf of the Whigs from 1826 to 1830 in the British House of Commons
  • Thomas Colley Grattan (1792-1864), Irish author of ‘Highways and Byways,’ born in Dublin in 1792, was son of Colley Grattan of Clayton Lodge, co. Kildare, formerly a solicitor in Dublin, who afterwards retired to the country and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits 7
  • Prof. Kenneth Thomas Victor Grattan O.B.E., FREng, British Royal Academy of Engineering for George Daniels Professor of Scientific Instrumentation and Dean for Graduate School at the City University of London, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to Science 8

SS Atlantic
  • Pat. Grattan, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. 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)
  4. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SPARTAN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Spartan.htm
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  7. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  8. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


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