Greatrax History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Greatrax is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in an area that was referred to as the great ridge. Greatrax is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, or in this case a ridge. 1 Another source postulates that the name was from "Greatorick, from Gayteric, the old form of Catterick, Yorkshire, in which county the name remains common." 2 And two sources claim the name is from Great Rocks; a hamlet, Tideswell, Derbyshire. 3 4 This latter source dives into more detail: "the Derbyshire name of Greatorex is evidently derived from Great Rocks, a hamlet in the parish of Wormhill. Greatrix and Gratrix are now Lancashire forms of the name." 4 And yet another source claims the name is from Greterakes, a place name in the Domesday Book of 1086. 5 Early Origins of the Greatrax familyThe surname Greatrax was first found in Essex where Augustine Brandon and Elizabeth Greatracks, of Westham, Essex married in 1382. 6 Early History of the Greatrax familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Greatrax research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1625, 1628, 1629, 1647, 1659, 1666, 1675, 1683, 1697, 1712 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Greatrax History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Greatrax Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Greatrax are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Greatrax include: Gratrix, Greatrix, Greatrex, Great-Rex, Greatorix, Greatorex and many more. Early Notables of the Greatrax familyDistinguished members of the family include Ralph Greatorex (c.1625-1675), an English mathematical instrument maker and apprentice of London clockmaker Elias Allen, his name appears in Pepys's Diary. His date of death is uncertain as the Dictionary of National Biography claims he died as late as 1712.
Valentine Greatrakes (1629-1683), whose name... Migration of the Greatrax family to IrelandSome of the Greatrax family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Greatrax familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Greatrax or a variant listed above: George, Henry and Lawrence Greatrake settled in Delaware in 1813.
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