In ancient
Scotland, the ancestors of the Grastay family were part of a tribe called the
Picts. The name Grastay is derived from
Christopher or perhaps from
Christian.Early Origins of the Grastay family
The surname Grastay was first found in
Edinburghshire, a former county, now part of the
Midlothian council area where they held a
family seat at Carvant. By 1296 they had moved northward to Stirlingshire and there is a section of the
Stirling Antiquary called "the Christies and their doings." A charter from 1457 granted by the abbot of Lindores mentions John Chrysty as a burgess. Later, John Chryste was listed as burgess of Aberdeen in 1530.
Early History of the Grastay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grastay research.
Another 205 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 189 and are included under the topic Early Grastay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Grastay Spelling Variations
The appearance of the printing press and the first dictionaries in the last few
hundred years did much to standardize spelling. Prior to that time scribes spelled according to sound, a practice that resulted in many
spelling variations. Grastay has been spelled Christie, Chrystie, Chrysty, Christy, McChristie, McChristy, Christe, Christi and many more.
Early Notables of the Grastay family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Grastay Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Grastay family to Ireland
Some of the Grastay family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 103 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 Grastay family to the New World and Oceana
The expense of the crossing to the North American colonies seemed small beside the difficulties of remaining in
Scotland. It was a long and hard trip, but at its end lay the reward of freedom. Some Scots remained faithful to
England and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others fought in the American
War of Independence. Much of this lost Scottish heritage has been recovered in the last century through
Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Grastay: Agnes Christie settled in Maryland in 1736; Thomas settled in Georgia in 1732; Richard settled in St. Christopher in 1635; Alexander Christy arrived in New York in 1738.
The Grastay 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: Sic viresco
Motto Translation: Thus I flourish