Show ContentsGraeter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Graeter family

The surname Graeter was first found in Northumberland, where Phiolippus filius Grete was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls in 1201. Years later, Greta was found in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219 and later in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1260.

Graeter is as an Old English byname and was listed in Saxon times as AEdelwold des Greta c. 900. The same source listed AEdelmaeres Greatan in 1017.

Graeter is thought to have been derived from the Old English word "great", or less commonly from Greta(f), probably short for Margaret. 1

Greet is a chapelry, in the parish and union of Winchcomb, Lower division of the hundred of Kiftsgate, in Gloucestershire and a parish, in the union of Tenbury, hundred of Overs in Shropshire. 2

Henry and Gilbert le Grete were listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for Berkshire in 1279 as well as the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1287. 1

Early History of the Graeter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Graeter research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1666, 1667 and 1675 are included under the topic Early Graeter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Graeter Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Greet, Grete, Greetan, Greeton, Greep, Greeter and others.

Early Notables of the Graeter family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Greeting (fl. 1675), English musician who published in 1675 'The Pleasant Companion, or new Lessons and Instructions for the Flagelet.' Pepys engaged him to teach his...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Graeter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Graeter migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Graeter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Frederic Graeter, who landed in America in 1777-1783 3


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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