Grassey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Grassey is a name that evolved among the descendants of the people of the kingdom of Dalriada in ancient Scotland. It is a name for a person who worked as a shoemaker. The Scottish surname is derived from the Gaelic word greusaich or griasaich, which originally meant a decorator or embroiderer but later came to mean a shoemaker.

Early Origins of the Grassey family

The surname Grassey was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

The English Gracy or Grancey variant is Norman in origin as "Grancey is on the confines of Champagne and Burgundy, an gave its name to a great Burgundian family, several times Constables of the province, that ended in the fourteenth century with Eudo de Grancey. The feudal castle of Grancey, dating from this time, was only pulled down at the beginning of the last century. [(1700's)] The first trace I could find of the family in England was at Warford in Cheshire; the seat of the Grascys, Grasties, or Greestys, for many successive generations." 1

Early History of the Grassey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grassey research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1613, 1639, 1651, 1653 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Grassey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grassey Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Grassey has been spelled Gracie, Gracey, Grassy, Greacey and others.

Early Notables of the Grassey family

More information is included under the topic Early Grassey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Grassey family to Ireland

Some of the Grassey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 102 words (7 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 Grassey family

Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Grasseys to arrive on North American shores: three brothers and a sister, who settled in Charlestown, South Carolina, in 1767. A. Gracie settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1821; Wm. Gracie settled in New York in 1821.

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3