| ![Show Contents]() Grear History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of GrearWhat does the name Grear mean? Grear comes from the ancient Dalriadan clans of Scotland's west coast and Hebrides islands. The name comes from the given name Gregor. The personal name Gregor, which is the Scottish form of Gregory, is derived from the Latin name "Gregorius" and from the Late Greek name "Gregorios," which mean alert, watchful, or vigilant. The name is "generally considered to be a shortened form of Macgregor." 1 Early Origins of the Grear familyThe surname Grear was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The coat of arms for the family includes the coat of arms for King Donald MacAlpin (d. 864), King of Alban, the United Kingdom of the Scots and Picts in the top left of the shield. It denotes the heritage of the family through the MacGregors. Early History of the Grear familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grear research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1598, 1669, 1754, 1780, 1831 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Grear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Grear Spelling VariationsThe translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Grear has appeared as Greer, Grier, Grear, Grerar, Greir, Greerr, Grearr and many more. Early Notables of the Grear familyAnother 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grear Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Grear Rankingthe United States, the name Grear is the 16,526th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 Migration of the Grear family to IrelandSome of the Grear family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 165 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Grear migration to the United States | + |
Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Grear or a variant listed above:
Grear Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- James Grear, who landed in Maryland in 1674 3
| Grear migration to Australia | + |
Grear Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- James Grear, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on May 29, 1828, settling in New South Wales, Australia 4
| Contemporary Notables of the name Grear (post 1700) | + |
- Darrell R. Grear, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Texas State House of Representatives 17th District, 2002, 2004; Candidate for Texas State Senate 5th District, 2006 5
- Brian D. Grear, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 62nd District, 2008 6
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: Memor esto
Motto Translation: Be mindful.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 24) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1828 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1828
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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