Griffyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland-Alt

Etymology of Griffyn

What does the name Griffyn mean?

The Griffyn surname is derived from the Welsh personal names Griffin, Gruffin, or Griffith. These were pet-forms of the Middle Welsh name Gruffudd, which was borne by many Welsh princes. The name came to Ireland in the 12th century with the Anglo-Norman invasion of Strongbow. There was also a native Irish line whose name originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Gríobhtha, which is derived from the word "gríobhtha," which means "griffin-like." 1 It is thought that most of the bearers of the Griffith variant of the name are of Welsh ancestry.

Early Origins of the Griffyn family

The surname Griffyn was first found in the province of Munster, where they had been granted lands by Strongbow after the Anglo Norman invasion into Ireland in 1172.

Early History of the Griffyn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Griffyn research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1710 is included under the topic Early Griffyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Griffyn Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Griffin, O'Griffin, Griffen, O'Griffen, Griffith, Griffey, Griffy, O'Griffy and many more.

Early Notables of the Griffyn family

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

Griffyn migration to the United States +

Griffyn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Rowland Griffyn, who arrived in Virginia in 1884 2

The Griffyn 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: Ne vile Velis
Motto Translation: Wishing nothing base.

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
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)