The ancestors of the bearers of the Grandem family name are thought have lived in ancient
Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Grantham, a town located in the county of
Lincolnshire. The name was derived from the Old English word
grand which may have been derived from the
personal name Granta and the Old English word
ham meaning "homestead"
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)Early Origins of the Grandem family
The surname Grandem was first found in
Lincolnshire at Grantham, a market town within the South Kesteven district, which was first listed in the
Domesday Book as Grantham and probably meant "homestead or village of a man called Granta" derived from the Old English
personal name + ham. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the Old English word "grand" meaning "gravel" + ham.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Early History of the Grandem family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grandem research.
Another 210 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1328, 1573, 1630, 1604, 1629, 1589, 1612, 1655, 1640, 1641 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Grandem History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Grandem Spelling Variations
Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently,
Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. Changes in
Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Grandem include Grantham, Grantam, Grantem, Grantum, Granthem and others.
Early Notables of the Grandem family (pre 1700)
Notables of this surname at this time include: John Grantham, Lord Mayor of London; Sir Thomas Grantham (1573-1630), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1604 to 1629, matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford (1589); and his son, Thomas Grantham (1612-1655)...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grandem Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Grandem family to Ireland
Some of the Grandem family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 45 words (3 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 Grandem family to the New World and Oceana
Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Grandem or a variant listed above: John Grantham arrived in Pennsylvania in 1772; another John settled in New
England in 1778; Peter Grantham settled in New York in 1807; James Grantham arrived in Philadelphia in 1851.
The Grandem Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Honore et amore
Motto Translation: With honour and love.