Granges History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

Etymology of Granges

What does the name Granges mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Granges comes from when the family resided in a Grange which were farms that belonged to the old abbeys. These farms were attended by monks who carried out their agricultural activities, and where the grain and cattle were held. The name was derived from the Middle English and Old French word grange which meant "granary" or "barn." 1

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae notes that William de Grandeis of Normandy 1198 held lands there at that time, so the name could have originated in Normandy too. 2

Early Origins of the Granges family

The surname Granges was first found in Essex where William de la Graunge was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275. A few years later, Laurence atte Grange was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Johannes attes Prious, et Alicia uxor ejus, fermour del graunge; Johannes del Grange; Simon del Graunge; Alicia del Graunge; and Gregorius del Grange. 4

Early History of the Granges family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Granges research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1568 and 1577 are included under the topic Early Granges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Granges Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Granges has been recorded under many different variations, including Grange, Grainge, Greinge, Graynge and others.

Early Notables of the Granges family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Granges Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Granges family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Granges or a variant listed above: Stephen Grange settled in Virginia in 1775; John Grange settled in Virginia in 1635; William Grange settled in Barbados in 1654; William Grange arrived in Pennsylvania in 1847.

Sources +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)