Show ContentsCrimes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Crimes family name is linked to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes 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 Crimes family

The surname Crimes 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 Crimes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crimes 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 Crimes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crimes Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Crimes include Grimes, Grimm, Grime, Grimme, Grimmes and others.

Early Notables of the Crimes 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 Crimes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Crimes family to Ireland

Some of the Crimes 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.


Crimes migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Crimes Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Crimes, (b. 1806), aged 28, English labourer who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 14 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 27th September 1834, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1857 6


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. 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)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant


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