Grimme History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland
Scotland

The name Grimme is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name for the son of Grimme. 1 "Grym, an ancient personal name, apparently Scandinavian." 2 The plural from with an "s" ending is most popular today.

Early Origins of the Grimme family

The surname Grimme was first found in Northumberland, where the forename Grim de Leuertone was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1175. It is one of the few names that can actually claim descent from the Domesday Book of 1086. There the family was listed in Latin as Grim, Grimus and Grimmus. 3

Godwin Grim was found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1170 and Bernard Grim was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Cheshire in 1183. Again in Cheshire, Alan Grime was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. William Grym was found in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1309 and Thomas Grym in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1332. 4

In Yorkshire, John Gryme was found in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and John Gryme in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls also list: Alan Grime, Cambridgeshire; Robert Grim, Huntingdonshire; and Warin Grim, Cambridgeshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls also include: Johannes Gryme; Ricardas Gryme; and Willelmus Gryme. 1

Up in Scotland, the Grim variant is most popular but over the years the family was well established as early as the twelfth century. And it is here that the name may be a from of the name Graham. "Thomas Grym witnessed a confirmation by Patrick, Earl of Dunber. (no date) Cuthbert Grym was a pledge for Andro Fishar, 1488, and William Grime was burgess of Montrose, 1635. Sir James Grym was co-notary in Strathmiglo, 1541. Isobel Gryme is recorded in Montrose, 1641, and another Isobel Grim in Dundee, 1683. " 5

Early History of the Grimme family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grimme research. Another 190 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1279, 1329, 1400, 1546, 1605, 1614, 1628, 1629, 1646, 1657, 1660, 1690, 1701 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Grimme History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grimme Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Grimme include Grimes, Grimm, Grime, Grimme, Grimmes and others.

Early Notables of the Grimme family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir George Grimes (1605-1657), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Haslemere (1628-1629) supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; Robert Graham or Grimes (died 1701), a Scottish colonel in the British Army and later a Trappist monk; and Elisha Crymes (c 1614-1690), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Tavistock in 1646 and 1660. Richard Crymes, a London haberdasher, bought Buckland Abbey, Devon in 1546 but in 1660 it was sold to...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grimme Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Grimme family to Ireland

Some of the Grimme family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Grimme family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Samuel Grimes a "pewterer" who landed in Boston in 1635; followed by Alexander in 1651; and Edward Grimes who became Deputy Governor of Virginia in 1654.

Contemporary Notables of the name Grimme (post 1700) +

Frederick G. Grimme, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Rockland County, 1913, 1915 6

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, July 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html