Gravell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

Early Origins of the Gravell family

The surname Gravell was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where they held a family seat at Graval near Portmort at Seine-Inférieure in the arrondissement of Neufchâtel in the region of Flamets-Frétils. They later branched to Fourneau in Normandy, and became one of the eminent aristocratic families of that dukedom.

Early History of the Gravell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gravell research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1066 is included under the topic Early Gravell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gravell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Graval, Gravalle, Gravel, Gravell, Gravelle, Graville, Gravile, Gravil and many more.

Early Notables of the Gravell family

Notable amongst the family in this period was

Gravelle of Normandy

Gravell 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. 1

Gravell Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

John Gravell, who settled in Jamaica in 1685
John Gravell, aged 16, who settled in Jamaica in 1685

Contemporary Notables of the name Gravell (post 1700) +

Karl Mander Gravell GC (1922-1941), Canadian airman posthumously awarded the George Cross for the heroism he showed on the 10 November 1941 in Calgary, Alberta
Raymond William Robert Gravell (b. 1951), former Welsh rugby union player