Grispens History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The surname is one of the names carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is based on the given name Crispin, which derives from a Latin nickname which means curly-haired. Much of the popularity of the name in the early Middle Ages is a result of the popularity of St. Crispin, who was martyred at Soissons in 285 AD.

Early Origins of the Grispens family

The surname Grispens was first found in Oxfordshire where they had been granted the lands of Cowley by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

One of the first records of the family was Gilber Crispin (d. 1117?), Abbot of Westminster, the grandson of Gilbert Crispin, from whom the Crispin family derived its surname. "The last-named Gilbert Crispin is in the 'Histoire Littéraire' (x. 192) identified with Gilbert, Count of Brionne, the guardian of William I's childhood, and grandson of Duke Richard I of Normandy." 1

By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the family had scattered: Robert Crispien in Cambridgeshire; Crispianus de Colrigge in Devon; Crispian de Columbers in Lincolnshire; and Robert Crisping in Lincolnshire. Richard Crispine and William filius Crispianin were the two remaining listings in Oxfordshire. 2

Early History of the Grispens family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grispens research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1055, 1066, 1107, 1117, 1149, 1273, 1627, 1681 and 1749 are included under the topic Early Grispens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grispens Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Crispin, Chrispin, Crippin, Cripin, Crippen, Crepin, Crespin and many more.

Early Notables of the Grispens family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Henry Crispe was a distinguished knight at the time of King Henry VIII; Captain William Cripsin (1627-1681), one of five British Commissioners appointed by William Penn for settling his...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grispens Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Grispens family to Ireland

Some of the Grispens family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Grispens family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Grispens or a variant listed above: Thomas Crispin, who came to Barbados in 1635; Silas Crispin, who settled in Delaware in 1681; William Crispin, who came to Pennsylvania in 1682; Robert Crispin, a bonded passenger, who arrived in Maryland in 1763.

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)