Grew History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Grew was first found in Worcestershire where the family was first referenced in the year 1275 when Margeria Groucok was listed as holding lands in the Subsidy Rolls at that time. William Grucock was listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1312. 1

The Grew, Grue and Grow variants have a slightly different origin. They hail from Yorkshire where the "surname is derived from a nickname, 'the grew,' 'Grew, a greyhound." 2. "It is worth noticing, however, that my instances are from Yorkshire. Henry III in 1350 spent his Christmas at York. In the expenditure for that visit appears the provision of '7000 fowls, 1750 partridges, 125 swans, 115 'grues' (an unknown bird), 125 peacocks, 290 pheasants,' &c.; v. Miss Holt's paper in Christmas number of The Fireside, 1887. As every other bird in the list is a familiar surname to-day, there is no reason why the 'grue' should not be the same." 3

Reviewing the aforementioned Groucock and Grucock entries point strongly to the use of the name as a "bird."

Indeed the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 confirm the "northern" origin for this variant as Johannes Grewe; Johanna Grewe; and Agnes Grewe are all listed as holding there at that time. 3