| ![Show Contents]() Greyson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of GreysonWhat does the name Greyson mean? The ancient Strathclyde Briton name Greyson is derived from Grier, a pet form of the given name Gregory, which means watchful. 1 2 Early Origins of the Greyson familyThe surname Greyson 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 Griersons of Lag, Dumfriesshire, claim descent from Gilbert, second son of Malcolm, dominus de MacGregor, who is said to have died in 1374, but, says Col. Fergusson, 'there is no evidence or foundation for the story commonly current that this family was an offshoot of the Highland family of MacGregor.' " 3 Early History of the Greyson familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Greyson research. Another 321 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1232, 1250, 1408, 1411, 1429, 1451, 1502, 1526, 1547, 1557, 1564, 1590, 1608, 1623, 1654, 1655, 1657, 1671, 1677, 1704, 1709, 1711, 1733 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Greyson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Greyson Spelling VariationsScribes in Medieval Scotland spelled names by sound rather than any set of rules, so an enormous number of spelling variations exist in names of that era. Greyson has been spelled Grierson, Greson, Greyson, Grayson, Greirson and others. Early Notables of the Greyson familyJohn Grierson or Grisson (died 1564?), a Scottish Dominican who is believed to have been from the family of Grierson of Lag in Dumfriesshire. 4
Sir Robert Grierson of Lag (1657-1733), was 1st Baronet of Baronets of Lag & Rockhall, Dumfriesshire. He was "persecutor of the covenanters, was descended from an old Dumfriesshire family which claimed as an ancestor the highland chief Malcolm, lord of Macgregor, the friend and ally of Robert Bruce. The lands of Lag are said to have been bestowed on Gilbert Grierson by Henry, earl of Orkney, in 1408, and in any case the...
Another 96 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Greyson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Greyson family to IrelandSome of the Greyson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Greyson migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Greyson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Louisa Greyson, aged 27, a servant, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edwin Fox" in 1878
| Contemporary Notables of the name Greyson (post 1700) | + |
- Kelly Greyson, American actress and producer, best known as the lead role in the movie Alone yet Not Alone
- Ashley "Ash" Greyson, American film and music video director, cinematographer, editor, and producer, nominated for a 2006 Hollywood Film Festival award
- Charles Bruce Greyson (b. 1946), American Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia
- John Greyson (b. 1960), Canadian director, writer, video artist, producer, and political activist from Nelson, British Columbia
- Greyson Michael Chance, American pop rock singer and pianist
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: Hoc securior
Motto Translation: Safer by this.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- 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)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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