Greshem History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient roots of the Greshem family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Greshem comes from when the family lived in the village of Gresham in the county of Norfolk. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Greshem family

The surname Greshem was first found in Norfolk at Gresham, a parish, in the union of Erpingham, hundred of North Erpingham. "Gresham gave name to the family of which Sir Thomas [Gresham] (c. 1519-1579), the founder of the Royal Exchange and of Gresham College, was a member." 4

The same Sir Thomas is again mentioned in the same source in Battisford, Suffolk. "The framework of the late Royal Exchange, London, erected by Sir Thomas Gresham, was made here; Sir Thomas residing in the adjoining parish of Kingshall, and having considerable property in this." 4

Another family seat was found at Barnby-Upon-Don in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "The church [of Barnby-Upon-Don] is a well-built structure of very ancient date, with a chancel the property of the Gresham family, which contains some handsome monuments to their ancestors and others." 4

Ancient rolls give typically give a glimpse of the many spellings in use over the years, but this name is the exception as William de Gresham was registered in the Pipe Rolls for Norfolk in 1199 and Thomas Gresham was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1446. It wasn't until the 16 century to find a variant, that of Richard Gressam listed as a Freeman of York in 1551. 5

Early History of the Greshem family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Greshem research. Another 186 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1495, 1519, 1537, 1549, 1556, 1579, 1626, 1627, 1649, 1660, 1696, 1709, 1718 and 1776 are included under the topic Early Greshem History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Greshem Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Greshem has appeared include Gresham, Gressam and others.

Early Notables of the Greshem family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir John Gresham (1495-1556), an English merchant, courtier and financier who worked for King Henry VIII of England, Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, Lord Mayor of London and founded Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk; Sir Richard Gresham (c.1485-1549), an English mercer, Merchant Adventurer, Lord Mayor of London, and Member of Parliament who was descended from an ancient family which long resided in the village...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Greshem Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Greshem family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Greshem arrived in North America very early: Edward Gressam who settled in St. Christopher in 1635; Joe Gressam settled in Virginia in 1635; Ed. Gresham settled in Virginia in 1650; Andrew Gresham arrived in Philadelphia in 1858..

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)